


The Dangers of Meddling

by Stacysmash



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Angst with a Happy Ending, BokuAka-one sided and endgame, BokuTeru-one sided, Emma AU, Emotional Rollercoaster, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Humor, It's going to be as canon compliant as I can make it, M/M, Modern Setting, More ships to be added, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Post-Canon, Second year of university, Sexual Themes, Slow Burn, ToraKen, YakuNoya - Freeform, bad language, matsuoi, nothing too dirty, oblivious boys, possibly more characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 05:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 71,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15405891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: After a successful (though debatable) matchmaking, Kuroo is determined to also set his friend Bokuto up with the man of his dreams, no matter how many of his friends protest. The more Kuroo gets into his role as a clueless Cupid, he may also lose his chance to be with the one he loves before he even realizes his own feelings.





	1. Chapter 1

Kuroo Tetsurou had the best first year of college any ambitious student could hope for. He joined the University’s volleyball team along with his old rivals: Bokuto Koutarou and Sawamura Daichi. He was assigned to a dorm room with Bokuto and together they enjoyed challenging each other to dares and seeing how much trouble they could get into and still not get kicked out. It was fortunate that Daichi lived in the next room over and worked overtime trying to reign the duo in. It didn’t take long for Kuroo to discover that even Daichi, Mr. Responsible himself, could be coerced into shenanigans with just the right amount of competitive taunts. 

What surprised Kuroo more than anything was how quickly Daichi became one of his best friends. He admired the old captain of Karasuno for many reasons. He had been a worthy adversary at the time and led his wild crows to victory over and over until at last they were able to meet on the court themselves. Even after the elated victory of one and the devastated defeat of the other, they both retained a deep respect for each other. 

As part of the same team, it was easy for Kuroo to develop a deep trust in Daichi, who was just as skilled at receives as any member of Nekoma (maybe even better than most). That trust on the court was the seed for relying on him in other ways, and while he enjoyed goofing off with Bokuto, his partner-in-crime, all other moments craved the steady presence of Daichi. 

Out of the trust grew a fondness. Kuroo loved nothing better than to get Daichi angry with a few teasing words. Occasionally Daichi would shoot back a taunt even better than his own, and Kuroo decided he liked that even better. It also helped that Kuroo knew without a doubt that no matter how much Daichi grumbled about him, he liked Kuroo back. It was evident in quiet moments, like when Kuroo fell asleep on his shoulder late one night at the library and he woke up to Daichi’s fingers stroking through his hair as he continued reading his textbook. Or sometimes when he leered down at Daichi in order to rile him up, but instead of getting angry he sometimes laughed in amusement, beaming up at Kuroo with eyes filled with warmth. 

He relished the easy friendship he had with Daichi, and at the end of their first year at University he had not one doubt it would only grow stronger when they reunited for their second. Once again he was able to room with Bokuto and Daichi’s room was just down the hall. The new year ushered in a fresh crop of first years, including Daichi’s kouhai Nishinoya Yuu who naturally joined the team as their Libero. Akaashi Keiji, Bokuto’s underclassmen, also joined the same university but chose not to continue with volleyball, much to Bokuto’s disappointment. 

Shortly after the school year began, some of Kuroo’s old teammates from Nekoma wanted to get together. Kuroo always jumped at the chance to see his old friends, and this time he roped his new teammates into going to the restaurant with him. 

“Who’s going to be there?” Daichi asked as they wandered past the bustling shops and wove through the crowds. 

“Kai will and he said Fukunaga couldn’t make it since he’s going to school in Kyoto, but Yamamoto should be there. Yaku arranged it, and he’s bringing Kenma the traitor with him.”

“Morisuke-san will be there?!” Nishinoya asked, so excited he walked backward with no fear of running into anything to hear Kuroo’s response, and Kuroo could swear there were sparkles fluttering around his head.

“Yup, of course, he’ll be there. I only told him how many I was bringing, so it should be a surprise when we come in.”

“Sweet!” Nishinoya cheered as he turned around just in time to avoid running straight into a group of women. 

“So, why is Kenma a traitor?” Daichi asked, sending an amused smirk up at Kuroo.

“Because he didn’t choose the same university as me, that’s why.”

“I thought they didn’t have the program he wanted.”

“They did, but his school is better.”

“He’s not even far.”

“Shhhh, there’s nothing you can say that’ll make me forgive him. He abandoned me and that’s that.”

Daichi laughed and shoved him playfully. Kuroo was thankful he could at least joke with him about it; every time he teases Kenma about being a traitor he just rolls his eyes and refuses to comment. It was infuriating.

“Damn, I wish Akaashi could have come. I’m gonna feel like I’m surrounded by cats!” Bokuto grumbled. “At least I got my crow buddies to keep me company.”

“That’s right! We can take them, Koutarou-san!” Nishinoya agreed, and the two wrapped their arms around each other as they continued stumbling forward from the vast height difference with sporadic giggles. 

“Yeah, it’s a pity Akaashi isn’t here. He could have brought the whole energy level of the group down,” Kuroo snickered.

“He is exceptionally good at keeping Bokuto in hand, but with Nishinoya added to the mix he may get in over his head,” Daichi murmured back.

Eventually, Daichi and Kuroo were able to wrangle the wild pair into the restaurant and usher them into the private room Yaku reserved. They all greeted each other enthusiastically, mingling around to make sure no one was missed, but Kuroo spotted something interesting right away. When Yaku saw Nishinoya among them, his old friend lit up, his eyes sparkling as his cheeks twinged a light pink.

“Yuu! I heard you moved to Tokyo, but I didn’t think I’d get to see you so soon!” 

“I know! Isn’t it lucky? Just wait till we meet on the court again, we’re gonna kick your ass!”

“Oh, really? You can keep telling yourself that. That is, until we completely annihilate you.”

The pair continued bantering with wide grins on their faces while everyone else sat down and began chatting and deciding what to eat. 

“Oy! If you two don’t sit down soon we’re going to ask for a couple of kids menus,” Kuroo teased, refusing to flinch when the pair both jerked their heads toward him and sent dangerous vibes through their glares. Yaku rolled his eyes and gestured to two seats across from each other so they could keep talking. 

Kuroo had known Yaku for a long time. He only occasionally went on a date and had a couple crushes in high school, but nothing major. The entire evening he kept getting distracted by the atmosphere developing between Yaku and Nishinoya, and he had to stop himself from sighing romantically or squealing from the adorable pair. He resigned himself to face Daichi next to him and gossip about the two when they were sitting right behind him. Daichi never caught onto blossoming romances like Kuroo could, but even he could tell there was major flirting going on between the two. 

“Kuroo,” Daichi whispered, gripping onto his jacket and pulling him close with a stern look in his eye. He knew Daichi meant to be serious, but it always gave him an excited shiver when he scolded him like that. “Stay out of it.”

“Why?”

“They’re doing fine.”

“Please? I just want to poke the situation a bit.”

“I know all about your poking.”

“Oh? I didn’t realize you were familiar with that yet,” Kuroo teased and chuckled as Daichi frowned harder as his cheeks blushed a light pink.

“Shut up, you know what I mean.”

“Come on, Yaku and I are old friends. I won’t ruin anything, I promise.”

Daichi didn’t answer but released his grip with a sigh. He knew when to give up and let Kuroo have his tinkering ways. Soon Kuroo had his chance when Nishinoya excused himself to the restroom, and Kuroo turned slowly toward him with a wide grin on his face.

“Whatever you’re about to say, don’t,” Yaku said wryly.

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say!”

“You don’t have to, I never trusted that look on your face and I never will.”

“All I wanted to say was--”

“Nope.”

“You and Nishinoya--”

“Noooooooo…” Yaku said as he plugged his ears. Kuroo said nothing else, but pointed to Yaku and then Nishinoya’s empty seat and made kissy faces while wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Tell me you got a picture of that, Kai,” Daichi said, peering around Kuroo to watch the embarrassing show.

“A few and they’re definitely blackmail-worthy,” Kai said with a chuckle. 

“Send them to me,” Kenma said quietly from across the table from Kuroo.

“I’ll send them to everyone, I’m sure they all miss their beloved ex-captain.”

Kuroo ignored them as he sent a pointed look to Yaku.

“Come on, just admit you like him and I’ll quit hassling you.”

“No, you won’t, and I never said I didn’t like him,” Yaku mumbled into his hand.

“Then why don’t you ask him out?”

“I don’t know, we’re just getting reacquainted. I’m not certain he could see me as more than a friend or mentor.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” Kuroo turned in his seat to glance around the table. Bokuto and Yamamoto were at the end chatting about something, but the rest were curiously listening in to Kuroo’s conversation with Yaku. “Alright, anybody who thinks Nishinoya has the hots for Yakkun, please raise your hand.”

Daichi, Kai, and Kenma immediately stuck their hands in the air, and Yaku turned a darker shade of pink.

“Tha-that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Really? This guy’s known him since he was a wee little first year in high school. What are your thoughts, Sawamura?”

Daichi peered around Kuroo and gave Yaku an encouraging smile.

“I think he’s right. I don’t usually notice when people like other people, Suga was always better at sniffing that out. Which is why I think you’re both being pretty obvious since even I can tell you both like each other more than friends. I know for a fact Nishinoya respects the hell out of you, so even in the unlikely chance he doesn’t like you more than a friend I doubt it’ll hurt your current relationship.”

“Well, now I’m convinced,” Kuroo said, shooting Daichi a wink before turning back to Yaku.

“You were already convinced, Dumbass,” Yaku muttered, but there was no heat in his words as he stared into his glass of tea. Kai smiled and said nothing as he continued to eat, and even Kenma had a little smirk on his lips as he watched Yaku’s contemplation. 

“Sorry that took so long!” Nishinoya’s energetic voice cut through the room and everyone flinched. “Ha! Did I scare you guys? I swear some people treat me like some kind of monster, I don’t know why.”

“Hmm, I think I could see it. You are a bit of a monster,” Yaku answered, his voice low and teasing. Nishinoya blinked his large eyes at him for a moment and then scratched his head sheepishly.

“Jeesh, the way you say it, it almost sounds like a compliment.”

“It was.”

The table went quiet as everyone concentrated on their meal, except Kuroo who was giggling into his palms and Bokuto and Yamamoto who were totally oblivious. There was a  _ ding _ from Kuroo’s pocket, and he slipped his phone out to read the text.

**Kenma:** _ stop staring, you’re doing more harm than good _

Kuroo sent a glare up at his best friend before pounding out a reply.

**Kuroo:** _ They’ve hardly noticed me, they only have eyes for each other _

**Kenma:** _ barf _

Kuroo snickered and slipped his phone back in his pocket. Nishinoya and Yaku were deep in quiet conversation, leaning forward over the table and ignoring the last of their food. Kuroo sighed and turned in his seat to join Kai and Daichi in their conversation and left the two lovebirds to themselves.

Half an hour later another  _ ding _ was heard, but this time it was Yaku’s phone disturbing the calm ambiance. He glanced at it and grimaced at the message on the screen.

“Shit, I have to go.”

“What? Don’t tell me you have a group project tonight, it’s Friday!” Kuroo protested, his eyes flickering to Nishinoya whose shoulders had drooped comically low with disappointment. 

“Nah, it’s my own reminder not to stay out late. We have practice early tomorrow and I don’t want to be suffering from lack of sleep. Hopefully, we can do this again soon!” Yaku said, smiling at everyone around the table as he stood up. He froze as Nishinoya hopped up from his seat and began rifling through his wallet.

“I’ll walk you to the station!” He announced cheerfully, throwing down some cash.

“What?! No, you don’t have to do that.”

“But, I haven’t seen you in a long time! I was hoping we could talk a little longer, Morisuke-san,” Nishinoya said with his eyes round and hopeful. Yaku pursed his lips as he gripped his bag, obviously weak to Nishinoya’s charm.

“O-okay. It would be nice to talk a bit longer.”

“Yay! See ya guys!” Nishinoya chirped as he bounded out of the room. Yaku gulped and made to follow when Kuroo grabbed his sleeve.

“You can do this, Yakkun! Don’t let this chance pass you by!” Kuroo whispered loudly, and Yaku pulled his sleeve out of his grip with a growl.

“Mind your own business!” He spat and spun on his heel to stomp out of the room. 

“You know,” Kuroo began as he turned toward the rest, “If Nishinoya accompanies him straight to his dorm room he’ll still have time to get some sleep before practice tomorrow… I think I’ll text him to give him the idea,” He snickered as he yanked out his phone. Daichi slipped it out of his hand and set it on the other side of him.

“Leave him alone, Kuroo. I think they’ve already got a good start tonight.”

Kai nodded in agreement.

“You know Yaku will most likely resist if you keep pushing him. It looks like Nishinoya is reeling him just fine on his own.”

“Hmph, fine. At least I helped a little.”

“I don’t think  _ helping _ is the right word,” Kenma said, not even bothering to glance up from his phone.

“How can you be so cruel to me? I thought we were best friends.”

“We are, that’s why I can be so cruel to you.”

“That’s it, I’m setting you up with someone next.”

They laughed at the look of horror on Kenma’s face, drawing the attention finally from the pair at the end of the table.

“What’s so funny?” Bokuto asked, leaning obtrusively into Daichi’s space.

“Nothing,” Kenma muttered, hiding behind his phone.

“Kenma doesn’t want to get set up with someone by Kuroo,” Daichi answered for him, earning a glare of his own.

“Eh? You’re getting people dates, Kuroo-san?! I want one!” Yamamoto chimed in eagerly. Kai placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Yamamoto’s face gradually grew more serious until he finally cleared his throat. “Uh, on second thought, I wouldn’t want you to trouble yourself.”

“Kai! What did you tell him?”

“Nothing, he has a right to change his mind.”

“It does sound nice though, going on a date and having someone special,” Bokuto said as he leaned back in his seat, his voice quieter than usual. Kuroo peered at him from over Daichi’s head until he earned an elbow in the ribs from Daichi himself. It was too late, unfortunately; Kuroo’s wheels were already turning with fresh inspiration.

Soon Kai, Yamamoto, and Bokuto excused themselves, needing some sleep themselves. Daichi nearly ran off too but Kuroo guilt tripped him into staying a little longer while he hung out with Kenma. 

“We’ve got practice tomorrow, too, you know,” Daichi said as he glanced at the time. 

“Relax, ours isn’t that early. You can still sleep in.”

Kuroo’s cell phone made another  _ ping _ , and his eyes flickered to Kenma who shrugged.

“It wasn’t me. At this point, I’d just tell you to your face.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes and picked it up to find a message from Yaku.

**Yakkun:** _ Ok so we’re dating now, I don’t wanna hear another peep outta you _

Kuroo set his phone down and lifted both his fists in the air in triumph.

“They’re dating! I am a matchmaking genius!”

“You are definitely not a genius. How many times did I say tonight that even I noticed something was happening?” Daichi grumbled as he tried pulling Kuroo’s fists down before they attracted attention.

“He’s right if anything you nearly kept them from getting together.”

“Not so, my old friend! If it wasn’t for me they would have never taken that next step, perhaps wallowing away in pining misery forever! I’m feeling such a deep satisfaction within my soul, I must keep spreading the love so no one will feel the pains of loneliness.”

Daichi interrupted his tearful speech by grabbing his glass and sniffing it.

“Are you sure there’s no alcohol in here?”

“Ha, ha, very funny. I am merely drunk off of my good deeds.”

“Kuro, please… let this be your one good deed and let everyone else live in peace. Dating’s overrated and we’ll never be able to get together properly if you start matching people up.”

“Awww, Kenma! When did you turn into such a social butterfly, I’m so proud!”

“I mean it,” He said in a low voice, his amber eyes flashing dangerously from across the table.

“Alright, I promise… that I’ll do it one more time.”

Kenma dropped his head on the table as Daichi groaned.

“Let me guess, Bokuto.”

“Sawamura, you’re officially my matchmaking partner.”

“No, no, no, no. I want no part in this.”

“You obviously have more of a knack for this than you thought.”

“Actually, he has more of a knack for it than you do, like knowing when to quit,” Kenma said, his voice muffled against the table. 

“Come on, think about Bokuto! You could see the wistful hope etched onto his face when he spoke of dating someone.”

“Contrary to popular belief, Bokuto isn’t a total idiot. I’m sure he can find someone himself, especially with his looks and talent.”

“Don’t let him hear you talk like that, Sawamura, we’d never be able to fit his head through the door.”

“That’s the first true thing you’ve said all night,” Kenma chimed in, finally straightening up and revealing the red mark on his forehead.

“Second true thing! Yaku and Nishinoya did end up together. I win!”

“With everything you’ve said tonight, I would hardly call that winning,” Daichi snickered. Kuroo wrapped an arm around his neck and yanked him close to his chest, his knuckles rubbing across his head vigorously.

“That’s enough out of you  _ Sa’amura-san _ . Jeesh, where’d this cheekiness some from? You used to be so nice.”

“I wonder…” Kenma said, looking straight at Kuroo with an eyebrow raised. 

Kuroo opened his mouth to retort but yelped as Daichi pinched his side with an impressive grip.

“I told you not to do that,” Daichi grumbled as he smoothed down his messy hair.

“Come on, who are you trying to impress.”

“It’s not about impressing, it’s about looking decent. But I guess you’ve never worried about that, have you?” Daichi said as a smirk spread across his lips, gazing up at Kuroo’s hair. “Back to the matter at hand, I’m still with Kenma on this. I think you’ll potentially make a mess of things if you start messing with people’s love lives.”

“Nonsense! What’s the worst that could happen?”

Daichi winced and shared a worried look with Kenma. Kuroo might be one runaway train that was virtually impossible to stop, even if he was heading for certain doom.


	2. Chapter 2

Kuroo bounded down the hallway on his floor until he reached a certain room that wasn’t his. He knocked a tune and bounced on his toes as he waited impatiently with a wide grin on his face. After a moment the door swung open, and Kuroo took a deep breath to start talking and then grimaced when he saw the person standing in front of him.

“Oh, it’s you.”

Matsukawa leaned against the door jamb and quirked a dark, bushy eyebrow.

“Wow, nice to see you, too. What can I do for you, Kuroo?”

“I’m looking for Sawamura, is he in?”

Matsukawa’s eyes flickered to the left to where Kuroo couldn’t see and then back in a heartbeat, his expression remaining exactly the same.

“Yup.”

_Keep cool, keep cool…_

Matsukawa Issei was one person Kuroo could never wrap his head around. He was cool as a cucumber and impossible to tease. He seemed to be well-liked by everyone, but Kuroo himself could never see the appeal. Something about him just rubbed him the wrong way. He ran a hand through his messy hair and took a deep breath.

“Can I see him?”

Matsukawa reached up to grasp the door, pulling it closed a little as he smirked in the direction he looked earlier.

“Well, he’s getting dressed right now.”

Kuroo glowered at Daichi’s roommate and felt his irritation explode through the roof at the way he was eyeing Daichi as he was probably half-naked, or worse.

“Stop staring at him, you lecher!” Kuroo spat as he finally shoved his way into the room. He immediately spotted Daichi sitting on his bed as he was rolling a sock onto his foot, looking unamused at them both.

“See something you like?” Matsukawa snickered as he shut the door behind them and went back to his desk where he had been working before Kuroo knocked.

“What’s up? You seem excited about something,” Daichi said, pulling Kuroo’s attention back to him instead of his roommate. Kuroo perked up and plopped on the bed next to him.

“Yeah! But, um… is there any way we can get rid of your roommate?” Kuroo asked as his voice dropped to a loud whisper. Daichi grinned and leaned in closer, his eyes flickering to Matsukawa’s back.

“Why would we need to do that?” Daichi asked in a whisper the same register as Kuroo’s.

“Because I don’t want him overhearing. Who knows what would happen if this information gets out?”

“He’s probably not even listening.”

“He’s definitely listening.”

“I wasn’t, but then you two started whispering and dammit I love secrets,” Matsukawa interjected without lifting his head from his work. Kuroo gestured toward him with a look at Daichi inferring that he was right. Daichi rolled his eyes and slipped his wallet from his pocket.

“Hey, Matsukawa, you want to grab us a couple coffees? There’s enough here for you if you do it.”

“Sounds good. I can’t work around noisy people anyways,” Matsukawa said as he spun in his chair and stepped across the room in one quick movement. Kuroo twisted his mouth in irritation, which made Matsukawa smirk as he took the bills from Daichi. As soon as he was gone, Kuroo released a low growl from his throat.

“I can’t believe you roomed with him again this year. What bad luck.”

“What do you mean bad luck? I requested it.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I like living with him! I don’t understand why you hate him so much.”

“Hate’s a strong word. I just can’t stand him.”

Daichi chuckled softly, his eyes looking Kuroo over carefully.

“I think you’re just intimidated by him.”

“What?! Moi? Why on Earth would I be intimidated by an urchin like him?”

“Same height as you, similar attitude and ability to get under people’s skin, same volleyball position…”

“Yeah, but he’s not even on the team.”

“You’ve played him before when we do an impromptu game with our friends, and you know he’s got skills. Kuroo, don’t worry, I still think you’re special,” Daichi teased as he ruffled his hand through Kuroo’s crazy hair.

“Stop, you’re being ridiculous.”

“I think out of the both of us, I’m definitely not the one being ridiculous.”

“Okay, we need to get back on track before Eyebrows gets back. I found the perfect guy for Bokuto!” Kuroo cheered, giving Daichi a proud toothy grin that wasn’t returned by the other party. “Come on, isn’t that great?”

Daichi sighed and shook his head.

“Who is this perfect man?”

“Terushima Yuji! You know him, right?”

“Of course, I know him. We played his team in the preliminaries third year. I didn’t even know he was going here.”

“Yup, Bo and I worked out this morning in the rec center and got to chatting with him. I couldn’t have arranged it better myself, everyone sweating and grunting while they lift weights and talk about volleyball.”

“Yeah, nothing spells romance like the pungent scent of sweaty men.”

“Don’t underestimate endorphins and a man’s natural musk, Sawamura. Anyways, we’re all going to karaoke this weekend. Prepare yourself for a front seat to the romance of the century!”

“I don’t know, I’m not sure I could see Bokuto with Terushima. They’re almost too similar.”

“It’s called having things in common, the foundation of a proper relationship.”

“Important, but not the foundation.”

“Why are you being so stubborn about this?”

“I just hope you know what you’re doing. Relationships can be complicated enough without a third party manipulating things like a puppet master.”

“A puppet master… Hmm, that sounds kind of cool.”

“Kuroo, I’m serious,” Daichi said as he leaned back against the wall next to him. Kuroo met his eyes and lost himself for a moment in the swirls of chocolate gazing back at him. Daichi wasn’t giving him the normal look he does when he’s scolding him; it was filled with concern and Kuroo had the feeling it wasn’t just about Bokuto. Daichi was also worried about him. It always caught him off-guard when Daichi showed he was looking out for him; he was so used to being the untouchable leader it was both disarming and soothing to be trapped in Daichi’s caring gaze.

“I know… Listen, I’m not doing this just to show off. I’ve known Bokuto for a long time and I’d like to see him in a fun, happy relationship. He deserves it.”

Daichi smiled, the special one he did sometimes that revealed dimples in his cheeks. Kuroo smiled back as he reached his hand up to poke the cute indent in his face and chuckled as Daichi’s eyebrows furrowed. The door swung open as Matsukawa lumbered inside with three cans of coffee, causing them both to flinch. He raised his eyebrows as he kicked the door shut behind him.

“I’m sorry, was I interrupting something?”

“No, you’re fine. Why don’t we go somewhere else, so he can work in peace?” Daichi asked Kuroo as he took two of the cans from Matsukawa.

“Yeah, sounds good. I think Bo said something about being in the library, we can go bug him.”

“He’s in the library?!”

“Yeah… now that you mention it, that is strange.”

Consumed by their curiosity, Daichi and Kuroo ran across campus to see if the energetic Wing Spiker was, in fact, studying for once. They entered the quiet building and slipped along the rows of bookshelves, Daichi checking the left side of the aisle while Kuroo checked the right. While the Library was full of students, none of them were Bokuto, so Kuroo shared a look with Daichi and gestured toward the stairs to check out the next level.

As soon as they reached the top, Kuroo gasped and yanked Daichi behind another row of books.

“What are you doing?” Daichi hissed and Kuroo shushed him and pointed around the corner. They both peered around, Kuroo hovering over Daichi easily since he was so much taller and located Bokuto sitting on a sofa as he scribbled furiously in a notebook. Akaashi sat next to him with a large textbook stretched over his lap, and Kuroo and Daichi peered harder as they watched Akaashi lean into Bokuto’s space to check his work.

Akaashi frowned as his eyes scoured over the page and he leaned up toward Bokuto’s ear to whisper something. Bokuto’s eyes widened and he immediately began erasing something on the page, scribbling something else in its place right after. Akaashi’s eyes moved from the page up to Bokuto’s face and smiled at the screwed-up expression on his face.

Bokuto jerked his head towards Akaashi’s suddenly, who flinched back in surprise.

“Is that better?” Bokuto asked in a normal volume voice, and Akaashi slapped his palm across Bokuto’s mouth and shushed him. He murmured something back to Bokuto too low for the eavesdropping pair to hear, but they saw Bokuto perk up like a bird preening cheerfully. Akaashi smiled at him again and even from their distance, Kuroo could see a light flush creep across Akaashi’s pale cheeks.

“Hmm,” Kuroo hummed as he observed the pair. It was a well-known fact that Akaashi helped Bokuto study, regardless that he was Bokuto’s junior. The situation should have seemed completely normal, but it gave Kuroo an odd feeling in his stomach.

“Looks like you don’t have to worry about him after all,” Daichi whispered underneath him.

“What do you mean?”

Daichi craned his neck up to give him a withering look.

“You don’t see that? Come on, they’d be great together.”

Kuroo chuckled as he gave Daichi a pat on the head.

“Oh, Sawamura, you sweet child…”

“I’m not even two months younger than you.”

“Pairing people together is obviously not your forte. But don’t worry, there are plenty of things you’re good at, like…” Kuroo strung out the last word for comedic effect. He knew there were many things Daichi was good at, but he loved seeing the flash of irritation on the other’s face.

“Shut up, I’m serious. There’s a lot of history between them, and obvious chemistry. Besides, Akaashi’s one of the only people who truly know how to deal with Bokuto and does it willingly. Sounds like true love to me.”

“No way, they’re just friends. Bokuto needs someone fun and lively who can keep up with him. Akaashi’s too boring for him.”

“He’s not boring.”

“That doesn’t mean much coming from you. Ah! I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” Kuroo snickered as Daichi wrapped his arm around his neck and tried to cut off his circulation. They wrestled for a few moments as Kuroo gasped for air until there was a loud cough from across the room. They froze and glanced up, realizing their position was compromised as Akaashi glared at them and Bokuto waved wildly at them.

“Hi, Guys! What are you doing, are you wrestling? Can I join?”

“No, Bokuto-san, you need to keep working.”

“Oh,” Bokuto pouted and slumped in his seat. Akaashi smirked at him before turning his attention back on the sheepish pair.

“Did you two need something?”

“Oh, we were just looking for Bokuto. Found him!” Kuroo said, pointing at Bokuto with his chest puffed out with pride.

“Did you guys wanna hang out?” Bokuto asked as he leaned forward expectantly. Akaashi shifted on the sofa next to him, and Bokuto’s golden eyes flickered to him as his smile slipped a little bit.  
“Nah, nah, it’s cool. I can see you’re busy studying. Shoot us a text later when you’re all done.”

As Kuroo wrapped his arm around Daichi’s shoulders to usher him down the stairs, Daichi sent an apologetic smile to Akaashi.

“Sorry for interrupting.”

Akaashi nodded to him, his expression of irritation fading into a polite smile.

The pair didn’t speak until they were completely out of the library, breathing a sigh of relief as if taking a breath was as forbidden as speaking above a whisper.

“See what I mean? Booooorrring!”

“Just promise me one thing? If Bokuto has feelings for Akaashi, you’ll give up on the Terushima thing and let them be?”

“Of course! All that matters to me is Bokuto’s happiness,” Kuroo assured him, placing his hand on his chest. Daichi bit his lip, completely unconvinced. He trusted Kuroo with many things, but he couldn’t help being worried about how everything was panning out.

 

That weekend Kuroo had contacted a few people to meet them for karaoke, so it would take some pressure off Terushima and Bokuto’s blossoming romance. He giggled with delight when he entered with Bokuto and Daichi and saw Yaku already there with Nishinoya pressed into his side.

“Look at you two, being all cozy,” Kuroo leered down at his friend. Yaku glared at him and shoved him away, though the corner of his lips turned up in a smile.

“You are banned from saying anything about it all evening. Especially about you being some genius or something.”

“Fine, fine! I’m all for love just taking its course.”

“Kuroo, that is the worst lie I’ve ever heard from your mouth,” Daichi said as he yanked his friend onto the booth. “Just cool it and let them have a nice time. _Everybody_.”

“Yes, Daddy,” Kuroo said with an eye roll, but he paused and looked back at Daichi, “Damn, that sounded hot.”

“Ahem, so, who’s singing first? Nishinoya?” Daichi asked, looking at everyone but Kuroo.

“Yeah, I will!”

Nishinoya bounced off his seat and grabbed the microphone while Yaku picked him something out to sing. They all laughed when a cheesy love ballad came on, but it was Yaku who ended up embarrassed as Nishinoya sang directly at him with pure feeling behind the lyrics. A couple of their teammates arrived to join the party, immediately cheering for their first-year Libero as he belted out the chorus.

“This couldn’t have gone better if I planned it,” Kuroo snickered into Daichi’s ear.

“I agree. If you had planned it, it definitely wouldn’t be this perfect,” Daichi teased back.

“Here, Bo, help me with this,” Kuroo shouted over the music as he tried to pick Daichi up to throw him out of the room.

“Okay!”

“Dammit, put me down!” Daichi growled as he struggled in Kuroo’s tight hold and while trying to avoid Bokuto’s hands as well.

“You guys missed my finish!” Nishinoya whined as he handed the microphone to his upperclassmen.

“I didn’t miss it,” Yaku said, reaching out his hand to his boyfriend. “I thought it was fantastic.”

Nishinoya’s grin was blinding as he grasped Yaku’s hand and plopped onto his lap instead of the seat next to him.

“Awwww,” Bokuto and Kuroo said in unison, each in one of Daichi’s ears.

“Can you oafs please put me down?”

“Sure!” In unison, the two dropped Daichi onto the floor. Luckily, he expected it and was able to catch himself for the most part. Kuroo felt slightly guilty when Daichi shot him a glare, and he helped Daichi to his feet.

“I really need new friends,” Daichi muttered as he sat back down and folded his arms across his chest with a huff. Kuroo joined him, stretching an arm behind Daichi as usual.

“Come on, I know you love us.”

Daichi didn’t answer but twisted his mouth in irritation. Kuroo chuckled and leaned in to tease him more when their room opened once again.

“Hey, sorry I’m late!” Terushima said as he shuffled in.

“Nah, you just missed a song or two!” Bokuto said as he perked up at the blonde’s entrance. Terushima made a quick round at greeting everyone and being introduced to the other members of the volleyball team. Kuroo noted with interest at the polite way Terushima greeted Daichi as opposed to his usual laid-back attitude.

“What’s up with you? Do you have a crush on Sawamura?” Kuroo leered at him. Terushima’s cheeks flushed when he gazed back at Kuroo and then glanced away as he scratched the back of his head.

“Nah, I just respect him. I tried to emulate him as best I could during my third-year, but it didn’t really work.”

“Of course, it didn’t. We’re different people, and you bring your own special gifts as a leader,” Daichi said, giving Terushima an encouraging smile. Kuroo grinned at the way Terushima seemed even more flustered than before.

“Stop, now I’m really embarrassed. Didn’t we come here to sing?”

“Yes, exactly. Hey! You should sing a duet with Bo! He can only do duets because he gets lost in the lyrics,” Kuroo said as he reached around Daichi to yank Bokuto to his feet.

“Sure, come on, Bokuto-senpai!”

Bokuto perked up even more at being referred to as senpai, and the pair quickly went through the catalog of music before picking out their song. Kuroo was delighted they had chosen a song with particularly sexual lyrics, laughing and whistling as the two threw all their enthusiasm into it. Terushima wrapped an arm around Bokuto’s back as they shared the mic, and Kuroo gave Daichi the most devilish smirk he could muster, earning him a playful jab in the ribs.

He focused his attention on the singing duo where they were delivering a salacious line with amused giggles. Kuroo nearly sighed dreamily at the scene when suddenly Terushima turned his gaze on him. He blinked when the blonde gave him a wink from across the room, so blatant was the action that he was certain it had happened.

 _That was...weird_ , Kuroo thought, and he leaned back with a frown, wondering what Terushima was trying to communicate. He was probably just being playful, or perhaps he was trying to say something to Kuroo. Maybe he knows he’s trying to set him up with Bokuto and is letting him know he’s down with it.

Kuroo nodded and stretched his arms out across the booth on either side of him, leaning slightly more toward Daichi to continue teasing his friend.

“Admit it, I have a genius talent for putting two people together.”

“I’m hardly convinced.”

Kuroo gasped and gave Daichi his most offended look, and from Daichi’s grin it seemed that was the reaction he was waiting for.

“How can you say that? Look at them!”

“I see two goofballs with a similar maturity level looking way too comfortable singing those gross lyrics.”

“You’re such a prude, and blind as well, I’m afraid.”

“And I’m afraid you’re seeing this whole situation through goggles funneled by your own desires.”

“I am not!”

“Just… try looking at it a bit more critically, for both your sake and the others,” Daichi said seriously, tilting his head up to lock Kuroo in his concerned gaze. Kuroo’s ruffled feathers immediately smoothed down, his indignance melting away as a familiar warmth swirled in his gut.

“Alright, I’ll try.”

A soft smile spread across Daichi’s face, and Kuroo was thankful for the day he first discovered he could elicit that expression from Daichi if he stopped teasing for a moment and replaced it with something genuine. He beamed back at Daichi and gave his shoulder a squeeze before turning his attention back on the pair just as they were finishing their chorus with some terrible dance moves. They bowed as everyone laughed and applauded, and once again Terushima focused on Kuroo.

“Kuroo-senpai! You’re up!” He said as he held out the microphone. Kuroo held up his hands and tried to protest, but he knew there was no getting out of it when everyone else began egging him on. He rolled his eyes and sauntered over, waving down the cheers and applause from his rowdy friends. As he took the microphone from Terushima, their fingers grazed a little, and Kuroo instinctually flinched and scrunched his face.

“Uh, thanks.”

“My pleasure,” Terushima murmured as he went to take a seat, _his_ seat next to Daichi.

Kuroo shrugged it off as his kouhai being a weirdo and quickly picked out a more upbeat song to shake off the mood. The rest of the night went smoothly to plan; Yaku and Nishinoya looked more comfortable than ever as they flirted back and forth, Bokuto and Terushima seemed to feed off each other’s energy, and Daichi looked even grumpier because of it.

 

All Kuroo’s plans had to be put on over the next few weeks, and his whole life suddenly revolved around classes and volleyball practice. At least those things included Bokuto and Daichi for the most part, so his social life wasn’t completely nonexistent. Even in their spare time, however, Bokuto was usually tied up in the library with Akaashi. Kuroo had to admit it his friend’s grades were infinitely better than the year before because of it, so he reluctantly let it slide that Bokuto was hardly getting any time with Terushima.

He was thrown off completely one day when he slipped into his dorm room after class to find Bokuto sitting on his bed in silence.

“Whoa! What’s going on? Are you okay?” Kuroo asked as he hopped out of his shoes, dropped his bag and rushed to his friend’s side.

“I’m okay, I’m just… stunned.” Bokuto gazed at Kuroo, his golden eyes bright as his eyebrows knitted together in worry.

“Is it that bad?”

“No! It’s not bad, actually, I just never expected it… Akaashi confessed to me.”

Kuroo blinked at him, his mouth dropping open as he repeated Bokuto’s words in his head several times.

“He confessed? Like, that he _likes_ you?”

“Yeah! Apparently, he’s liked me for a while he said, and he finally got the courage to do it,” Bokuto said softly as his gaze drifted away, a smile curling on his lips. “He said I didn’t have to answer right away, he knew I’d need time to really mull it over. I’ve never seen him so nervous, it’s not like Akaashi to be that way. I just wanted to give him a hug and rub his back, but when I tried his face got bright red and he put his hands against my chest… they were trembling. What do I do?”

“That’s tough, Dude, I know you’re close. I would be gentle with him, but honest so your answer is clear. You don’t want to lead him on.”

Bokuto’s head jerked back at him, his face etched with confusion.

“Are you saying I should refuse Akaashi?!”

“Are you saying you want to accept him? I thought you liked Terushima.”

“Well, yeah, Terushima’s hot and he’s a fun guy, but this is Akaashi. I’d rather eat my shorts than hurt him… or maybe eat poison! We’ve been through a lot and I can’t imagine purposely doing something to hurt his feelings.”

“Yeah, but isn’t it worse to be in a relationship with him when you have feelings for someone else?”

Bokuto winced and stared down at the floor. He was silent for a while as his hand rubbed against his chest like it was in pain.

“I don’t know what to say, it’s not like my feelings are very strong for Terushima.”

“Alright, leave him out of it for now. Think about what _you_ want for a relationship and what being in a relationship with Akaashi would be like. Do you think he’ll scold you all the time and keep you from having fun? Sure, I bet your grades would be awesome but is that really what it’s about?”

“I don’t know… You really think I should refuse him?”

“Whoa, it has nothing to do with what I think, this is purely your decision. I just want you to really think about the possible outcomes of each side.”

“If I refuse him, do you think we’d still have the same friendship we do now?”

“Well, that’s entirely up to the both of you, but Akaashi’s probably mature enough to handle it.”

Bokuto groaned and lowered his face into his hands.

“I don’t know what to do, I wasn’t this confused before. It’s weird because I want to talk to Akaashi about it, but he’s the other person.”

Kuroo frowned and rubbed circles over Bokuto’s back. He felt bad for confusing him more, but he knew how impulsive Bokuto could be, especially when it came to his friends. He felt like if any of them confessed he would have jumped right into it without any regard to how he truly feels.

“Listen, why don’t you talk to Akaashi about it. Just be honest, he knows you well enough that it shouldn’t be a surprise that you’re confused. I can’t imagine him pressuring you into a relationship, and that way you can see what your options are.”

Bokuto straightened up and looked at him, his face more hopeful than it had been yet.

“Yeah! I feel better about that. And maybe that way we can work this out without me hurting his feelings!”

“There you go, that’s the spirit!”

“I’ll text him to see if he can meet up,” Bokuto said as he whipped his phone out and began typing a message to Akaashi. Kuroo smiled at him, relief settling over him as he felt certain things were working out as they should.

A few hours later, when Bokuto dragged his feet back into their dorm room, he felt that feeling disappear.

“What happened?” Kuroo asked as he rushed toward him. Bokuto’s shoulders were slumped as low as they could physically go, his eyes dim and sad as they drifted up to Kuroo’s face.

“It didn’t go very well… He said he can’t see me for a while.”

“What?! Why not?”

Bokuto hugged himself tight, and Kuroo thought for a moment that he might begin crying.

“He said he needs time to get over me, to move on, and he can’t do that if we see each other all the time. Kuroo, he… he looked so sad. I told him I wasn’t sure if I wanted that kind of relationship with him, and he looked like he was going to cry. I tried to hug him, and he refused, even stepped back from me. I’ve never felt like this before, I hate it.”

Before Kuroo could stop him, Bokuto sat down on the floor and dropped his forehead to his knees as his arms wrapped around his legs.

“Oh, Buddy, I’m so sorry. This stuff happens though, a lot! I’ve refused my share of confessions, and it’s always a hard thing, and this was one of your best friends. I know it’s going to be hard for a while, but I promise you’ll both get better.”

“Even Akaashi?” Bokuto sniffed, his eyes peering at him as he turned his head.

“Especially Akaashi! He’s got a good head on his shoulders and is always practical. I’m sure it’ll be no time at all he’ll be falling in love with someone else.”

Bokuto winced and buried his head once again, which confused Kuroo. He thought that Akaashi moving on would make Bokuto feel better, but perhaps time and distraction will be the only thing to cure his melancholy friend.

_And luckily, I know just the distraction…_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ow, ow, ow, my heart. I hated writing this part, and in my head I'm like "Why did I pick this freakin AU?!" ha ha ha. Yeah, I should probably put "emotional rollercoaster" in the tags.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Bokuto’s mood seemed even worse. From the moment they woke up, and in between classes, Kuroo scrambled around like a clown about to be fired from a birthday party as he tried to cheer him up. At lunch, he challenged Bokuto to see how many grapes he could fit in his mouth with two straws stuck in his nose. Usually, Bokuto would have jumped at the chance to beat Kuroo at his ridiculous game, especially with the attention and laughter it drew from other students trying to eat. But Bokuto shrugged and continued to eat his meal in silence, picking at his rice when typically he’d be shoving it in his mouth.

The worst part about his mood drop was that there was only one person who could truly snap Bokuto out of his funk, and that was Akaashi. But with his refusal to see or speak to Bokuto for the time being, Kuroo was left to fret over his melancholy friend.

To Kuroo’s relief Bokuto was able to function at volleyball practice that evening, though without his usual gusto. Their teammates were used to Bokuto’s Emo mode slinking in occasionally, but with Bokuto growing up and maturing it wasn't nearly as frequent as it had been in high school. Kuroo heard a couple concerned whispers floating around the team and several of his upperclassmen ruffled Bokuto’s hair after a fairly good spike. Bokuto’s body straightened up under the positive attention, and a smile appeared on his lips. It wasn’t his usual self, but Kuroo was relieved for the improvement.

“Hey, what was up with Bokuto today?” Daichi asked him after they showered and were walking back through campus. Bokuto had showered and dressed like lightning and scurried off to be by himself without waiting for his friends.

“Eh, he’s just going through something. He’ll get over it.”

“I would have thought he’d be bouncing off the walls.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t Akaashi ask him out?”

Kuroo stopped in his tracks, a flutter of nervousness creeping through his veins as he suddenly felt the beginning of a terrible argument. He never considered telling Daichi about Akaashi confessing to Bokuto, mainly because it hadn’t gone anywhere, so why bring it up?

“How did you find out?” He asked, glancing around for a possible escape.

“Matsukawa told me.”

“How the hell did he find out? Does he even know Bokuto or Akaashi?”

Daichi stared up at Kuroo as if he had suddenly grown two heads.

“Of course, he knows Bokuto. We did hang out a few times last year, the four of us. And he’s getting to know Akaashi really well. They’re both pre-med, and even though Matsukawa has a year on him they share a couple classes and really hit it off. Matsukawa’s becoming something like a mentor for Akaashi.”

“Oh… that explains it,” Kuroo said, turning back toward the dorms without saying anything else. He hoped that Daichi would just forget about what they were talking about and maybe change the subject.

“Kuroo? Slow down and talk to me. Why is Bokuto sad if Akaashi asked him out?” Daichi asked, grabbing onto Kuroo’s shirt sleeve to hold him back a bit.

“He’s sad because he turned Akaashi down, and now Akaashi wants some time away from him, so he can get over Bokuto but Bokuto misses him because they’re such good friends, you know. So that’s why he’s sad, but he’ll get over it soon--” Kuroo rattled the explanation off at breakneck speed but was cut off when Daichi’s hand gripped onto his arm and yanked him around to face him.

“He refused Akaashi?! Why the hell would he do that?”

“Because he’s not into him, why else?”

Daichi stared up at him in disbelief until finally he shook his head.

“There’s no way Bokuto’s not into him. He perks up every time he sees Akaashi. As much as Bokuto loves to hug people, he doesn’t hug _anybody_ as much as he does Akaashi. He literally swept Akaashi off his feet the other day and spun him around! He said his name in his sleep on the bus last week after our game--”

“None of that means anything! He just thinks of him as a friend and that’s that.”

Daichi’s body stiffened, his face slowly lifting to study Kuroo as he remained silent. It was a warm summer evening, but suddenly the air around them suddenly turned cold as Daichi’s eyes grew eerily dark. Kuroo gulped as he felt his size shrink to the size of a mouse despite him being so much taller than Daichi.

“Kuroo?” Daichi asked in a low, terrifying voice.

“Yes?” Kuroo squeaked back.

“Be honest with me… Did you influence Bokuto to refuse Akaashi?”

“No, no way! We sat down together after the confession and discussed it like rational adults. The only thing I did was make him aware of every scenario and helped him come to the conclusion that would be right for him.”

“I can’t believe it. You promised me you would stay out of it!”

“I did! Listen, if Bo was actually in love with Akaashi do you really think I could talk him out of it?”

“Akaashi asked him out, it wasn’t a marriage proposal!”

“Yeah, but dating could ruin their friendship if they had broken up.”

“How is their friendship doing now?” Daichi asked with an eyebrow raised. The question was simple, but it smacked Kuroo across the face and left him stunned for a moment.

“Not great, Akaashi said he needed some time away,” He mumbled as he looked away from Daichi’s hard stare. Daichi dropped his face in his hands, giving his forehead a rub as he groaned.

“Have you ever confessed to anyone, Kuroo?”

“No. I only dated a couple of people that confessed to me. They didn’t really go anywhere--”

“Have you ever _wanted_ to confess, but didn’t have the guts?” Daichi asked, his voice softening as he dropped his hands to look at Kuroo once more.

“No, I never felt that way.”

“I know… because if you did you would have some inkling of the emotional turmoil Akaashi is probably going through right now.”

“Bullshit, Akaashi will be fine. He’s so cold I can’t imagine it affecting him that much.”

“This isn’t just some crush to move on from, Akaashi’s been in love with Bokuto since they met his first year of high school.”

“What?!”

“He’s held onto this crush for that long, thinking that he’d never have a chance with Bokuto. He resigned himself to stay by his side just as friends, but now that they’re older he thought he’d give it a chance. Personally, I thought it was extremely courageous of him to do so, knowing how much it could cost him. He’s a stronger man than me,” Daichi said so softly Kuroo could hardly hear him, but he wasn’t paying attention. Kuroo’s mind was reeling with that new information. It didn’t change the fact that Bokuto didn’t love him the same way, but perhaps he had misjudged Akaashi’s emotional capacity. He was so far deep in his thoughts he barely registered Daichi speaking to someone on his phone in a low voice.

“...Yeah, I’m not sure where he is now, but-- I will. Let me know if you get ahold of him, I’m coming back now,” Daichi said as he shut his phone and slipped it back in his pocket.

“Who were you talking to?”

“Matsukawa. He’s going to call Akaashi and check on him. I’ll see you later.”

“Hey, I thought we were gonna get something to eat.”

“I don’t really feel like it.”

Daichi refused food. Alarm bells began sounding in Kuroo’s head as he shuffled after his friend already heading back to the dorm.

“Wait, wait a minute. Are you mad at me?”

“You’re just now figuring that out?”

“Why am I suddenly the bad guy? I didn’t refuse Akaashi!”

“It’s not about that, Kuroo. Can you honestly say that if Bokuto had not talked to you he still would have refused Akaashi?” Kuroo opened his mouth to retort but couldn’t find anything to negate Daichi’s question. Daichi sighed and shook his head. “I’ll talk to you later, Kuroo… hopefully when you develop a heart in that hollow chest of yours,” He said as he poked a finger into Kuroo’s sternum before walking away, leaving Kuroo alone as he felt the sting of Daichi’s words seep into him.

He had been scolded by Daichi before, but it was never that brutal. Usually, he was grumpy in almost a comical way, and Kuroo could soften his hard edges with a few teasing words. This was different. Despite their bickering and banter, he always had no doubt Daichi respected him as a fellow captain, volleyball player, and a person. Daichi was genuinely disappointed in him, and it made him feel like shit.

When he finally snapped out of his stunned state, he stomped back to the dorm in a huff. He grumbled under his breath about how he was just trying to be a good friend and how he needed to surround himself with people who were less self-righteous. Encased in his dorm room with nothing to eat but random snacks, his mood mixed with Bokuto’s caused a weird sort of tension to swirl around the room, and they both went to bed early with uncomfortable dreams filling their heads.

Over the next several days, Kuroo was relieved that Daichi wasn’t giving him the silent treatment. They still sat next to each other in their shared classes, continued to work well during volleyball practice, and ate at their usual table during lunch with Bokuto. Daichi certainly wasn’t ignoring him, but it wasn’t the same. He only spoke the bare minimum when speaking to Kuroo with no hint of feeling or amusement. He ignored every joke Kuroo sent his way and when Kuroo teased him there was no reaction whatsoever, which was the worst.

At first, Kuroo thought he could deal with it, letting his friend cool off on his own while he refused to apologize for his actions. But after several days, Daichi’s cold treatment of him began to wear down his defenses. He was amazed at the small things he missed; the quick looks in the middle of class while they tried not to laugh at something their professor said, a celebratory high five after Kuroo tricks a spiker into sending the ball directly to Daichi, the gentle stroke of Daichi’s fingers through his hair whenever Kuroo’s head was near him.

The ache of loneliness began pressing onto his chest, and Kuroo consumed himself with trying to find attention from anyone else. He called Kenma to spill his woes, but his best friend was busy working on a project and told him just to apologize to Daichi and get over it. Mumbling something about Kenma definitely being a traitor, he phoned Kai, but it went straight to voicemail. In an act of desperation, he called Yaku, pressing his forehead to his window pane as the phone rang in his ear. When his friend finally answered, Kuroo spilled everything without taking a breath. Yaku listened quietly, letting Kuroo get everything off his chest until he finished, taking a few deep breaths as Yaku sighed on the other end.

“Why don’t you just apologize?”

“To who? Sawamura? He’s not the one who got rejected, and I’m not gonna apologize to Akaashi. I did the guy a favor.”

“That’s a bit subjective, Kuroo, but I was talking about Sawamura. You promised him you wouldn’t meddle, and you did. You know how simple minded Bokuto is, and you’re very good at provoking a response out of people. Honestly, it’s so ingrained in you it’s possible you did it without meaning to. Just think about it and consider what Sawamura’s actually angry about. It sounds like he just needs his initial anger to fade, and he’ll come back.”

“What if he doesn’t?”

“Then you have plenty of friends who wouldn’t abandon you, Kuroo, though I’m certain Sawamura will come around. You two have grown really close and I know that guy’s loyal to a fault. Yuu looks up to him a great deal.”

“Yeah… you’re right.”

“Yup, I am. Now suck it up and do something with your life. You’re embarrassing me,” Yaku said, and Kuroo could hear the smirk on his face through the tone of his voice.

“Ha! Fine… thanks, Yakkun.”

Kuroo felt a little better discussing the matter with his old friend. Though their friendship began very tumultuously their first year of high school, Kuroo trusted the little Libero with his life and knew he was right. He glanced around his shared room feeling bored since Bokuto was stuck in a group project somewhere else on campus. With his exams coming up, he needed to refocus himself on studying anyways, so he grabbed his bag and rushed out of his dorm room to find a good place to work.

He could never study in his room, too many distractions laying around. The library was out since it would be packed full of students, and he hated the obnoxious quiet even when so many people were around, it felt unnatural. He headed straight for the school cafeteria and perked up when he entered, seeing many free tables but the vast space full of people laughing and enjoying themselves.

He spied a comfy looking booth that would be perfect for studying and began heading straight for it when a laugh echoed from a few tables away. His body stiffened as he jerked his head around looking for the source; it had been several days since he heard Daichi’s laugh and it gripped Kuroo as if Daichi’s hands had snatched the front of his shirt to get his attention. He spied his friend and ducked behind a pillar, craning his head just enough to spy on him a little.

Daichi was sitting with a tray nearby with several wrappers wadded on top of it. With him were two other guys that Kuroo didn’t recognize, and the three of them were talking enthusiastically about something. Kuroo frowned as Daichi smirked at something one of them said, his eyes crinkling in the corners as he began to chuckle. Then Daichi said something, and the other two laughed heartily in response. The atmosphere seemed natural between all of them, and there seemed to be little in Daichi’s facade that showed he was upset at all about fighting with Kuroo.

Kuroo clenched his jaw and spun on his heels, desperate for some fresh air. It wasn’t as if he needed all Daichi’s attention, but he wanted Daichi to miss him a little bit at least. Kuroo straightened up as he rushed out of the building, making his way down the path to the library instead. He was a social person and had many friends. Since when did he _need_ Daichi? If Daichi was fine without Kuroo, then he could be fine too.

As expected, the library was packed full on the first level, filled with the oppressive silence amid scribbles of pencils on paper and a few scattered coughs. Kuroo shivered and hurried up the stairs, hoping he could find even a corner to himself somewhere in the building. When he reached the top landing, he flinched and ducked behind the same bookshelf he had several weeks before with Daichi. Sitting on the same sofa was Akaashi, though this time by himself with a mountain of books on the seat next to him and spread out over the coffee table.

Kuroo released a quiet sigh that Akaashi hadn’t spotted him and moved further down so he could peer at him through the lines of books. His skin seemed paler than usual except for the dark circles shadowed underneath his dull eyes. He stared at a page from a book laying open on his lap. His eyes were unmoving, however, and Kuroo knew his mind was miles away. He looked closer to a zombie than the quick-thinking setter he used to be, and Kuroo wondered if it was school bringing Akaashi down, or something else.

On the coffee table, a phone buzzed, startling Akaashi from his reverie. He leaned forward to grasp it and froze when he read the screen. It was subtle, the changes that fluttered across his face, but Kuroo saw every bit of it. His skin paled a tint further as his face tightened slightly. His lips parted as he drew a deep breath and a flush began to creep across his nose. He sniffed and squeezed his eyes shut, giving his head a little shake. When he opened them, he glanced around quickly and hopped to his feet to escape to the bathroom, wiping a few tears on his sleeve as he did so.

In a daze Kuroo found himself sitting on a bench outside of the library, hearing nothing but a few scattered crickets hiding in the bushes behind him. He was thankful it was getting late and the area was relatively vacant, so he could work through his thoughts in peace. He couldn’t say he still regretted helping Bokuto out with his situation, but he felt guilt gnawing at him from all sides. He vastly underestimated how much Akaashi cared for Bokuto, he could fully admit that now. Akaashi always struck him as a cold individual, quick to cut down on their fun. It was rude of him to judge him that way, and though he never experienced heartbreak himself he was finally seeing what Daichi was saying about how rough it is to live through.

He stayed on that bench for at least another hour until his butt began to numb from the hard metal seat. His mind was so preoccupied he didn’t hear footsteps approaching him and stopping nearby.

“Hey.”

Kuroo flinched and looked in the direction of the voice. Daichi stood in front of him, looking straight at him with his concerned face pasted on. It was a face he usually laughed at, feeling that Daichi’s worries were unwarranted, but after several days of cold treatment, it nearly made him cry.

“Hey. What are you doing here?”

“I was heading back to the dorms and saw you sitting here, looking like a tortured soul,” Daichi answered as he stepped toward him with a smile spreading on his face. He sat next to Kuroo and leaned back, letting his eyes gaze around the empty paths snaking around immature trees toward various campus buildings. Finally, after several minutes of silence, Daichi sighed and murmured, “I’m sorry.”

“What? Why are you sorry?”

“For being so distant with you lately. I just needed to stew for a bit.”

“I wasn’t sure you still wanted to be friends with me,” Kuroo muttered back, the words stinging his own lips as he spoke them. Daichi jerked his head toward him, locking Kuroo’s eyes to his own.

“Why would you think that? I wouldn’t stop being friends with you over something like this.”

“Well, how would I know? I’ve never made you that mad before.”

“With all things considered, I’m surprised that you haven’t made me that angry till now,” Daichi said with a wide grin, the teasing glint in his eyes obliterating all the fears that had been compounding over the last several days. The relief was so instant Kuroo leaned forward and dropped his face in his hands with a groan.

“I saw you earlier in the cafeteria,” Kuroo admitted. “You looked so normal and content, I thought I was the only one who’d be destroyed if our friendship never repaired.”

“Kuroo,” Daichi said in a soothing voice as his warm hand rubbed over Kuroo’s back. It felt so good Kuroo hummed, which made Daichi chuckle as he shifted closer to him. “Those were just classmates I had to meet with for a project. I may have looked normal, but that doesn’t change the fact that I missed you.”

“Well, I _really_ missed you,” Kuroo said in a petulant voice as he straightened and immediately leaned over to lay his head on Daichi’s shoulder. “Do you think you could not get that angry at me ever again? It was pretty stressful.”

Daichi huffed out a laugh as his hand drifted up to Kuroo’s hair, slipping his fingers through the wild locks.

“That depends. Will you stop doing stupid shit?”

“Ugh, that’s too vague! There’s so much stupid shit I could get into.”

This time Daichi laughed harder, and Kuroo peeked up to see the dimple pressing into his cheek.

“Alright, I’ll be more specific. Please stop interfering in your friends’ love lives?”

“Well, can I say after I officially get Bokuto and Terushima together? I’m serious, Bo’s really down and this could really cheer him up. Besides, I’m already in the middle of it, I can’t quit now.”

“Do what you have to, but try and be a bit more aware of everyone involved, okay? I have a bad feeling it won’t turn out as good as you think they will.”

“Wow, what happened to my optimistic Sawamura?”

“He’s seen too many things… terrible things.”

“What a shame, I blame myself entirely.”

“It’s about time.”

“Oh, you’re hilarious,” Kuroo said as he snuck his hand around Daichi’s back and squeezed his sides where he knew he was sensitive. Daichi yelped and hopped off the bench like a squeaky toy. He knocked his hand roughly against the side of Kuroo’s head, who dramatically fell off the bench though the hit wasn’t that hard. Daichi snorted and knelt next to him, his fingers once again slipping into his hair. Kuroo thought he was going to be gentle, but instead, he gripped his hand pulled Kuroo’s head up to give him an unimpressed look.

“Come on, you Idiot… we need to get to bed.”

“Yes, _Daddy_ ,” Kuroo said with a grin as he gripped Daichi’s hand to help him to his feet.

“You really need to stop saying that.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Cuz… it’s stupid.”

Kuroo cackled, his voice echoing across campus as they neared their shared dorm. Daichi nudged his shoulder into him, which quickly turned into a competition of trying to shove the other one off the path. Before they reached the main doors, however, Kuroo gripped onto Daichi’s arm to stop him.

“What is it?”

Kuroo winced as he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a rush of nerves flutter in his stomach.

“I should have said this already, but… I’m sorry. I saw Akaashi in the library earlier and he looked like shit. I’m not saying I exactly regret what I did, because I do think Bokuto likes Terushima more than Akaashi. But it was wrong of me to interfere, especially after I promised you I wouldn’t. Will you forgive me?”

Daichi listened intently to his apology, a warm smile spreading across his face at the end. He reached his hand out and grasped Kuroo’s, giving it a gentle squeeze before stepping back toward the doors.

“Of course. Come on, it’s late,” He said, tugging Kuroo behind him. Kuroo blinked and stared down at their hands. He had never really held hands with a guy before, though he had dated one briefly during high school. He could feel the callouses in Daichi’s skin, but his palm was warm and comforting against his own. He grinned as his fingers curled around Daichi’s hand and gave it a squeeze of his own as he trotted forward to walk in step with him. It felt natural, their hands connected as they swung between them. Kenma will always be his best friend, but Daichi felt different, like if he just stayed connected to him he would never be lost.

It wasn’t until they were inside that Daichi released his hand to run up the stairs ahead of him, casting a competitive grin over his shoulder. His mirth was short lived when Kuroo easily skipped a few steps with his long legs and arrived at the top well before Daichi could. He snickered at Daichi’s irritated frown and reached around to pinch his side again to tease him even further. Daichi was able to grab his fingers just in time, keeping a hold of them until he reached his dorm to make sure they didn’t attack his sensitive skin again.

“Get lost,” Daichi said as he flung Kuroo’s fingers back at him and unlocked his door.

“Love you too!” Kuroo laughed as he wandered further down the hallway toward his own room, his cheeks hurting from smiling so much after a whole week of frowning.

Daichi blinked after him, frozen at his door as his cheeks grew hot. He watched Kuroo slip into his own room as he hummed a chipper tune, disappearing a moment later without a care. Daichi groaned and dropped his face against the door, feeling miserable and blissful all at once.

“This sucks.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise it'll be less angsty for a while!! This one was tough to get through, and I just want to wrap Akaashi up in a blanket with some hot chocolate and squeeze him to bits.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a relatively angst-free chapter! Enjoy it while it lasts ;)

With his friendship with Daichi relatively patched up, Kuroo could throw all his energy into cheering up Bokuto and cultivating a romance between him and Terushima. Whenever they weren’t in classes, studying, or practicing volleyball, they were hanging out with Terushima around campus or running around town. Kuroo was thankful whenever he could rope Daichi into coming along, giving him an excuse to hang back from the energetic pair and give them some time alone. On days he couldn’t convince him, however, it was left up to Kuroo to get creative.

One day they decided to do a little shopping and as Bokuto and Terushima began ogling some new tennis shoes, Kuroo began drifting away amongst the jungle of clothes. He perused a sales rack while peeking around to check on the enthusiastic couple. They seemed completely enthralled in their own little world, and with a satisfied chuckle, Kuroo began seriously looking through some shirts.

He held up a workout shirt of very good quality, navy blue with white stripes in strategic places to flatter the physique of the man wearing it. Kuroo snickered, knowing he didn’t need that with his waistline but took another look at the price tag.

“Hmm, that would look good on Sawamura, though…” He murmured, trying to decide if it was too early to shop for his friend’s birthday.

“What’re you looking at?” Terushima asked, appearing right beside him. Kuroo yelped and jumped a foot away in surprise.

“Jeez, don’t do that. Just, um, looking at shirts. You guys done looking at shoes?”

“I am, Bokuto-senpai is still looking though,” Terushima replied, walking toward Kuroo with an amused grin. “That would look good on you,” He said, gesturing to the shirt in his hands.

“Oh, thanks, um, you should go help out Bo. I need to go shop for underwear, and you know…”

“He’s doing fine. I don’t mind helping you,” Terushima said with a smirk, and Kuroo grimaced as he felt the itchy feeling gnawing at the back of his neck once again.

“Nah, I’d rather do it alone, if you don’t mind.”

“Ha! I wouldn’t have thought you’d be so shy about that. Oh well, go ahead and we’ll catch up to you in a bit.”

“Thanks,” Kuroo muttered as he slipped away. He made a beeline for the underwear section and crouched to hide as he whipped his phone out of his pocket. Peering around the racks one more time to make sure the coast was clear, he pounded out a text to Daichi.

**Kuroo** : _Do you think Terushima is a little creepy?_

**Daichi** : _You’re creepy_

**Kuroo** : _No, I’m serious_

**Daichi** : _Not really… did he do something?_

**Kuroo** : _I don’t know suddenly I’m getting weird vibes_

**Daichi** _: Well be careful and I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to abort the whole thing_

_In fact I beg you to abort_

_Please_

**Kuroo** : _Nah, I’m not that spooked_

**Daichi** : _That’s a shame_

**Kuroo** : _What are you even doing right now that you couldn’t come?_

**Daichi** : _Studying for our anatomy test like you should be doing_

**Kuroo** : _I don’t need to study, I already know everything_

**Daichi** : _Have I told you lately how much I hate you_

**Kuroo** : _You love me and you know it_

“Who are you texting?” Terushima’s voice cut in, and Kuroo’s phone flipped up into the air and clattered onto the floor.

“Oh no, man down!” Bokuto cried as the three dove for the phone to inspect it. When he found that his screen was still intact, Kuroo was so relieved he collapsed and rolled onto his back with a groan.

“Kuroo-senpai?” Terushima asked cautiously as he popped his head right over his with Bokuto’s slipping alongside his from the other direction.

“I think you killed him. Quick, I don’t think we were seen.”

“There are security cameras everywhere. They’ll know it was us.”

“They’ll know it was _you_.”

“Nuh-uh, we’re in this together.”

“Aw, that’s kind of sweet. Well, first, we should get rid of the body.”

“Or maybe you two could help me up?” Kuroo said as he glared at each of them. They laughed as they each grabbed an arm to help Kuroo to his feet. Terushima put a hand on his back as well to keep him steady, and Kuroo quickly moved away with an awkward chuckle.

“I’m all done, they didn’t have any of the shoes I wanted in my size,” Bokuto said with a shrug.

“Oh, that’s cool. I’m just going to get this real quick and I’ll be ready.”

“You didn’t find any underwear? Are you that picky?” Terushima asked with a salacious grin.

“Kuroo? No way, half his underwear has holes in them. Maybe you should grab a couple pairs while you’re here,” Bokuto suggested as he started looking around himself.

“Bo, you don’t need to tell people about the state of my underwear,” Kuroo growled as he reluctantly looked around, moving quickly since Terushima seemed to be hovering a little too close for comfort.

After that outing, none of his other attempts to get the pair alone seemed to work either. Occasionally, he would arrange a meet-up and back out the last minute, pretending to be sick. Whatever his mystery illness was, Terushima would always text back that he got the same one, which sounded suspicious to Kuroo.

He couldn’t wrap his head around the whole matchmaking thing; it had been so easy with Yaku and Nishinoya. Perhaps it was the fact that they had a prior friendship and rivalry already established. He found little sympathy, however, whenever he mentioned it to Daichi. Depending on where they were, the comment would earn him a book slammed in the back of his head or a pillow smothered on his face. His only solace was that Bokuto genuinely seemed to be perking up, and he counted that as a win.

After several weeks of failed matchmaking attempts, Kuroo had to put the whole thing on hold as they prepared for one of the biggest games of the season so far. It was against one of their arch-rivals, and the whole school seemed to be riled up over it. Knowing that everyone was rooting for them added just a little extra pressure to the game, and they fought tooth and nail through all three sets.

Their team, luckily, was like a well-oiled machine. Nishinoya dove for balls that seemed impossible to save, catching them just before they smacked onto the court floor. Bokuto wasn’t entirely up to 100% since his separation from Akaashi, but he seemed to throw all his frustration into some powerful spikes that slipped through nearly every attempted block. Their rivals seemed to be extremely enthusiastic, taking every hit very personally. Kuroo snickered with glee and used their frantic emotions against them with well-placed blocks that either knocked the ball straight down or sent it straight to Daichi’s waiting arms.

It was a sweet and well-earned victory, and as soon as it was all over the team decided they needed to celebrate by going to a club nearby after they all showered. The only one who didn’t seem crazy about the idea was Daichi, but all it took was a little teasing from Kuroo and he decided he’d join them instead of escaping to the safety of his dorm room.

“Come on, Sawamura, it’s just a little dancing. It’s not going to kill you,” Kuroo laughed as they walked down the street, his arm wrapped around Daichi’s shoulders to keep him from running away.

“It may actually.”

“Are you that embarrassed that you don’t have any rhythm?”

“I have rhythm,” Daichi snapped back, folding his arms across his chest as he scowled. Kuroo cackled and ruffled his fingers through Daichi’s damp hair.

“Suuuure, you do. What do you have against it then?”

“I just don’t enjoy it.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying that.”

“So, did you rope Terushima into joining us as well?” Daichi asked, trying to change the subject.

“No way, I needed a little break. That guy can be a lot to handle sometimes. Besides, tonight is all about the team!”

“Oh!” Nishinoya said next to him, his expression apologetic. “I may have invited Mori-san, and he said he might be bringing a couple of his own teammates.”

“That’s fine, Yaku’s different. Though I’ve never met his teammates.”

“Neither have I! I’m excited about it,” Nishinoya said as his pace began to quicken, his grin almost too wide for his face to handle. Kuroo shared a quick smile with Daichi but didn’t say anything. He hadn’t interacted with the Libero much when they were still in high school, but he was relieved to have him on the team with them. He was a little ball of energy, but he wasn’t irritating and had a positive impact on Bokuto’s moods when nothing else seemed to work.

Kuroo felt a powerful instinct to protect Nishinoya from the world, adopting him as his own son. But considering the Libero was practically married to Yaku, he knew his friend and old teammate would protect him well enough. Besides, he had enough to worry about with the chaos surrounding Bokuto.

The energy was palpable when they finally entered the club, and even Daichi laughed as their teammates charged in and flooded the dance floor. Kuroo grinned as he spotted Bokuto already dancing among their upperclassmen, who seemed to be lavishing the wing spiker with a little extra attention knowing how depressed he had been lately.

“Seriously, what’s it gonna take to get you to dance with me tonight?” Kuroo said loudly into Daichi’s ear over the music, making sure his teasing grin was visible for an extra prod.

“There is _nothing_ you can do, I’m sorry,” Daichi shrugged, refusing to take the bait.

“Nothing?! I find that hard to believe, Sawamura,” Kuroo purred as he leaned in to hover his face just above Daichi’s. He wasn’t sure if it was the dim lighting that caused Daichi’s eyes to darken as his lips parted in surprise.

“Mori-san!” Nishinoya cried as he swept past them toward Yaku who had just entered with several other people. Yaku laughed as he was tackled and allowed Nishinoya to plant a quick kiss on his lips since the club was dark and most people weren’t paying attention. Daichi and Kuroo meandered over to greet Yaku as well, and right away Kuroo noticed one of Yaku’s teammates craning his head to get a better look at Nishinoya.

“Oikawa?” Daichi asked as soon as they joined them, and Yaku’s teammate raised his head in response.

“Sawamura-kun! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. This little guy snuggling my Libero was from Karasuno as well, wasn’t he?” Oikawa said as he sidled up to them, a polite smile spreading across his lips. Kuroo raised his eyebrow as he inspected the other man closely. He had heard a lot about the famous Oikawa Tooru and was insatiably curious about skilled setter.

His appearance seemed immaculate, his brown hair in perfect waves sweeping away from his face, and his clothes cut perfectly to show off his lean, athletic figure without being too revealing. There was something in his presence that commanded attention, and Kuroo wasn’t sure if it was more the man’s looks or his enigmatic personality. He didn’t have time to decide, however, as Oikawa paused in his conversation with Daichi to lock his gaze onto Kuroo. He resisted the urge to flinch, raising his chin instead to show the other man he wasn’t intimidated by his calculating stare. Daichi took the cue and shifted to include Kuroo in the conversation.

“Oh, this is Kuroo Tetsurou, one of our middle blockers. Kuroo, this is Oikawa Tooru.”

“Nice to meet you, finally. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Kuroo said with a cheeky grin. Oikawa flashed him a movie star smile in response.

“I’m not surprised! Where have you heard of me, Volleyball Monthly perhaps? Or maybe on TV after my last interview?”

“Uh… Sawamura and Nishinoya mainly.”

“Oh,” Oikawa said as his smile slipped a little.

“I mean, it wasn’t _bad_ things. Mainly about your wicked serve.”

“I’d tell you all about it myself, but I wouldn’t want to give anything away before we meet on the court, Kuroo-kun.”

There was something in Oikawa’s smile, or perhaps it was his eyes, a flash of danger that sparked Kuroo’s intrigue even further. He wanted to crack the other man open like an egg and find out what secrets about the world he was hoarding.

“I can understand that. You’re going to need an edge anywhere you can get when you finally face us.”

“Wow,” Daichi said next to them, his voice sounding anything but impressed, “You two look like a couple of roosters gearing up for a cockfight.”

“Don’t spout your farm shit at me, Country Bumpkin,” Kuroo tossed back, cackling at the intense glare Daichi shot him at the old dusty nickname he wanted to forget. His attention was pulled away when he thought he heard Oikawa gasp. He was looking at the front doors to the club over Kuroo’s shoulder wearing an emotion Kuroo couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t good, whatever it was, but it was gone in a flash as Oikawa pasted his grin back on and focused back on him.

“Kuroo-kun! Would you like to dance? You look like someone who’s got some impressive moves.”

“As a matter of fact, I do! And…” Kuroo said as he leered down at Daichi, “I would _love_ to dance. About time I meet someone who knows how to have fun!”

Before Daichi could respond, Oikawa rushed over the dancefloor with Kuroo only a step behind. Daichi watched the pair as they immediately began moving to the music, feeling overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness even as he was surrounded by people. It was awkward standing there by himself, and he contemplated giving in and joining his teammates (like hell he’d join Kuroo) or escape back to his dorm room like he really wanted to.

“I’m sorry,” A voice said next to him, and a wave of relief poured over him when he saw Matsukawa standing there.

“Hey, I didn’t think you were going to come. I thought you had a paper to finish.”

“I finished it sooner than I thought,” He said, his eyes drifting through the crowd until they landed on Oikawa.

“Why are you sorry?”

“He saw me come in and grabbed Kuroo as a result. He wouldn’t have done that otherwise.”

Daichi nodded slowly and looked in the same direction, his eyes lingering on Kuroo laughing as his body flowed with the music. Matsukawa and Daichi sighed in unison.

“One thing’s for sure, Sawamura… we have terrible taste in men.”

“No doubts about that,” Daichi laughed in response.

“God that is such a bad combination, they’re obviously trying to tease us. There’s only one thing we can do in retaliation.”

“If you say we need to dance with each other I’m going home right now.”

“No way, they’d just make fun of us. Perfect revenge is to have a drink at the bar and ignore them completely,” Matsukawa said as he wrapped an arm around Daichi and turned toward the bar with a smirk.

“Have I ever said you’re my best friend?”

“Please say that in front of Kuroo, I would love to see him suffer-- I mean his reaction.”

Across the club on the dance floor, Kuroo frowned as he caught sight of Matsukawa leading Daichi away.

“Hmph, what’s that guy doing here?”

Oikawa glanced in the direction he was pointing and shrugged.

“Oh, Mattsun? I imagine Sawamura-kun invited him. They are roommates, aren’t they?”

“You know him?”

“Of course, I do,” Oikawa laughed. “We went to the same high school and played on the same volleyball team.”

“Wow, I wouldn’t have guessed that. I imagine you know him pretty well then.”

“Hmm, the things I know about Mattsun. I have tales that are certain to astound you, but… well, it’s not really my place to reveal people’s private lives.”

“I will pay you everything in my wallet to give me some dirt on that guy,” Kuroo said seriously, already digging his hand in his pocket. Oikawa laughed and shook his head.

“I don’t need your money! But I sense the deep longing within you, and I’m a generous person,” Oikawa said and glanced over the crowd to make sure Matsukawa wasn’t anywhere nearby. He scrunched his nose up when Matsukawa laughed at something Sawamura had said but shook it off as he focused back on Kuroo.

“Throughout high school, Mattsun had a best friend who was also on our team, Hanamaki Takahiro. The two could be described as _very_ close, and the rest of us always wondered if something else was going on between them. Well, everything was going fine until Hanamaki suddenly gets himself a girlfriend, a really cute little thing that seemed to giggle at everything he said. He seemed genuinely happy with her, and we supported him, of course. But Mattsun… Well, let’s just say he didn’t take it very well.”

Kuroo’s eyes widened, and he poked his head above the crowd to get a good look at the man before leaning in toward Oikawa.

“So, what happened next?”

Oikawa’s grin was pure evil as he leaned in far enough to speak in a normal tone.

“I can’t really say for certain what happened, but I have my suspicions and those are usually correct. Things got really awkward between Makki and Mattsun, and there were rumors that Mattsun was coming between Makki and his girlfriend. Some even say they slept together, but that’s something I could never confirm for certain.”

“Shit… do you think the girlfriend found out?”

“Not sure, they’re still together though. Either Makki told her and she forgave him, or she’s still in the dark. Oh! But you didn’t hear this from me, right?” Oikawa added on with a wink, his tongue sticking out playfully.

“Hear what?” Kuroo shrugged as he leaned back, his mind delightfully preoccupied with this bounty of information. He was just getting back in the music when he spotted Matsukawa and Daichi heading for the doors. Daichi paused, his face turning until he spotted Kuroo. He smiled and gave a wave before following Matsukawa. Kuroo sighed, his body no longer moving to the music as he felt annoyed at Daichi leaving so soon.

“Something wrong?” Oikawa asked, looking back and forth from Kuroo to the door.

“Oh, nothing. Sorry.”

“That’s fine. You know, Kuroo-kun, you’re even better at dancing than I thought.”

“Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself.”

Oikawa reached out and slipped his fingers into his T-shirt, gripping them and giving Kuroo a little tug toward him.

“How would you like to get out of here? Maybe try out some moves at my place?” Oikawa purred, lifting his chin with a dazzling smile on his lips. Kuroo felt heat flood his face at the suggestion and took a step back.

“Uh, nah, I don’t think so. I’m not gonna lie, you’re a hot guy, Oikawa. But I’m not really the hook-up type.”

Oikawa narrowed his eyes slightly but didn’t look too upset by the rejection.

“Really? Have you ever tried it?”

“No, but I’m really not interested. Sorry.”

Oikawa laughed and gave him a playful shove, breaking the awkward tension.

“You make it sound like you’re breaking my heart! Please, I’m not lacking in attention. I just thought I’d give you a try since you seemed more interesting than the average person.”

“Gee, thanks,” Kuroo said in a deadpan tone, but he felt better that Oikawa didn’t seem dead set on luring him into bed. After that, they fell into conversation about volleyball and their rival teams, and Kuroo realized that Oikawa wasn’t such a bad guy once he stopped parading around like a peacock. Eventually, Bokuto made his way over to them, and the three became thick as thieves in hardly any time at all.

It wasn’t too late when Kuroo decided he’d had enough and walked back to the dorms alone. Bokuto stayed behind with Oikawa and the rest of their team with the promise that he wouldn’t be out past one since he had the tendency to fall asleep wherever he was around that time. Before he left, he exchanged phone numbers with Oikawa in hopes of hanging out some other time, and Kuroo was already making plans to drag him along as a barrier between him and Bokuto and Terushima if Daichi refused to do so.

As he walked down the hallway on his floor, he heard voices coming from Daichi’s room and decided to knock. Matsukawa answered the door, and he let out a heavy sigh as Kuroo gave him a wide grin.

“Come in, not like we were busy or anything,” He muttered as he took his seat at his desk where he had been working.

“It sounded like you were just chatting to me,” Kuroo said as he kicked off his shoes, crossed the room in two steps and collapsed onto Daichi’s legs that were spread out over his bed. Daichi had raised his laptop just in time, purely out of habit and set it aside.

“Did you have fun?” Daichi asked as he stretched his hand out to mess in Kuroo’s hair. With a sleepy smile, Kuroo’s eyes began to droop as he leaned into the calming touch.

“Yup, though it would have been more fun if you stuck around longer than 5 minutes.”

“It was more like 20. I’m sorry, you know clubs aren’t my thing.”

“They _could_ be if you’d give them a chance and dance with me.”

Daichi sighed and leaned back against his pillow, and Kuroo scrunched up his face at the loss of his fingers.

“Did anything happen after I left?”

“Not much. Oh! Oikawa propositioned me.”

“He— what?” Daichi asked, his tone more serious than Kuroo expected. He raised his head to rest his chin on Daichi’s knees and noticed Daichi’s eyes flicker to Matsukawa before coming back.

“He wanted to hook up with me, but I passed obviously. That’s not my thing.”

Suddenly there was a clatter across the room, and Kuroo glanced over to see Matsukawa shoving his shoes on and wrenching the door open.

“I’m going to the vending machine… across campus,” He muttered before disappearing through it.

“What’s with him?”

Daichi stared at the door for a moment before shaking his head.

“Nothing. I’m glad you didn’t do anything with Oikawa.”

“Yeah, I might have ended up with an STD. I have the feeling that guy’s been around.”

“Ugh, you really think so?”

“Maybe, but he still seems like a cool guy. We’re gonna hang out sometime I think.”

Daichi didn’t answer, his eyes trailing back to Matsukawa’s chair with his lips pressed tight.

“Do you think I shouldn’t?”

“No, it’s not that. You’re perfectly capable of deciding who you want to spend your time with, just be careful. I’m not sure I entirely trust Oikawa.”

“You know who I don’t trust? Eyebrows.”

Daichi rolled his eyes as a grin spread across his lips.

“Why don’t you trust him? Did Oikawa say something?”

“Maybe.”

“It was probably a lie.”

“Hmm, very likely actually. But it was so juicy I can’t help but wish it were true,” Kuroo sighed as he wiggled up a little higher to lay his head on Daichi’s thigh and shut his eyes. He was hoping Daichi’s hand would find its way back into his hair again, but his head remained untouched as the room was filled with silence.

“Shouldn’t you go back to your room and sleep?” Daichi finally said, his voice edged with amusement.

“Why should I when I’m so comfy here?”

“You’re not sleeping here tonight, Kuroo.”

“Why not?”

“Because the bed is tiny, and you are huge.”

“Sawamura! Stop, you’re making me blush!” Kuroo snickered, raising his head to shoot Daichi a teasing grin. His mirth was short lived when Daichi locked his legs around Kuroo’s waist, twisted to his side and hurled Kuroo onto the floor.

“Get lost,” He laughed, looking proud as he peered over the edge of his bed at Kuroo’s lifeless body.

“How can you treat me this way?”

“You make it easy, actually. Now get out of here so Matsukawa can come back in.”

“I thought he went to the other end of campus?”

“He might have, or he may be waiting for you to leave.”

“That’s rude.”

“Well, you did barge in here at a late hour.”

“Fine, fine, I get it. See you tomorrow, right?” Kuroo asked as he crawled to the door and began slipping on his shoes. Daichi smiled and nodded.

“Yup, I’ll see you then.”

Kuroo lumbered out of the room and down the hallway to his own room. It was dark and silent when he entered, devoid of his energetic roommate. It was so quiet he heard another door open and shut further down the hallway, and he wondered if Matsukawa had been waiting for him to leave.

He didn’t take it personally even though he had a feeling the other man disliked him as much as he disliked Matsukawa. But he was certain it had to do with Oikawa, and he found himself dying to know what the real story between them was. He didn’t completely discount Oikawa’s own version of Matsukawa’s past, but he wasn’t an idiot. Oikawa was withholding his own role in the situation, that was obvious from their cold treatment of each other.

_Hmm, maybe I should stop matchmaking and start investigating instead_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I think somewhere I predicted it'll be around 7 chapters? Ha ha ha, no way. As it usually happens it'll be more. I'm sorry the updates aren't coming as fast as normal, I'm still working through my ask challenge requests and I have about six more. I'm going back and forth between those and my WIP's though, so it won't be too bad.  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think! :)


	5. Chapter 5

The volleyball team _thought_ the entire university was supporting them in their last game. That was until they saw how they reacted to the basketball’s teams upcoming game against their arch rival. It was all anyone would talk about, and it grated on all their nerves. When the basketball meatheads actually won their game, the entire campus seemed to designate it a national holiday in celebration of the occasion.

“Hmph, you’d think they were being sent into space to blow up a giant asteroid or something,” Kuroo muttered as he weaved his way through the energetic crowds with Daichi and Bokuto trailing behind.

“I wish they would be sent into space,” Daichi replied dryly, and Kuroo and Bokuto looked at him in surprise.

“Whoa, Sawamura! Not like you to be like that!” Bokuto laughed, giving his shoulders a bone-crushing squeeze.

“Ugh, it’s just— what’s so great about basketball, or their players? How much strategy even goes into passing a ball back and forth and trying to get it in that stupid hoop?”

“Probably more than you give it credit for,” Kuroo snickered. It wasn’t often he was treated to Daichi’s rare spike of petulance, but it was always entertaining.

“Are you guys attending the celebration festival tomorrow?”

“Yeah! Terushima’s going to be there, remember? We have to go.”

“Or, I could back out last minute, so it can be just you two. What do you say, Sawamura? Wanna play hooky with me?” Kuroo asked as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down. His grin widened as he watched Daichi’s icy exterior melt away with a smile.

“Sure, that sounds good to me. Oh, wait, I have to go,” Daichi realized with a look of dismay. “You do, too. Captain said we’re expected to be there to support our fellow athletic clubs, remember?”

“Nooooo, but this was going to be perfect! A party with just Bokuto and Terushima together, it could be the moment they’ve been waiting for.”

Pink dusted Bokuto’s face as he scratched the back of his head bashfully.

“That’s nice, Kuroo, but I’m sure it’ll be fun! I don’t have to be alone with him to get to know him better. I just like being around everybody, to be honest.”

“Ahhh, you’re such a good guy,” Kuroo cooed as he hooked his arm around Bokuto’s neck and ruffled his hair. “Well, there should be good food there at least.”

“Thank God,” Daichi sighed, and Kuroo and Bokuto shared a grin. They knew Daichi could be roped into anything if free food was being offered. And with him there, Kuroo could use him as a buffer between him and the two lovebirds.

 

Unfortunately, fate wasn’t on his side the next night when he was getting ready to go to the rally.

“What the hell, you never get sick!” Kuroo cried as he stared in horror at the thermometer in his hand. He looked down at where Bokuto was laying and winced as moisture seemed to be leaking out of every hole in his face. Even his eyes were glassy as he blinked up at Kuroo and sniffed.

“Is this what being weak feels like?” He sobbed, and Kuroo smacked his hand against his forehead and ran it down the length of his face.

“You’re going to be okay, Buddy. I’ll just stay here with you.”

“No! The team needs you! Sawamura needs you! I’m just going to rest… or die, whatever I feel like.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, what are you going to do here, hand me every tissue in existence?”

“I guess you’re right. You’ll probably rest better with quiet anyway. Listen, I’ll have my phone with me and turned on. Text or call if you want anything, _anything_ at all. I’ll run by a store on my way back and try to pick you up some more medicine and soup or something.”

“Thanks, Kuroo. You’re such a good friend.”

“Nah.”

“I mean it!” Bokuto shouted as he gripped onto Kuroo’s shirt. “It’s been so hard not having Akaashi, but you’ve been with me through it all. You won’t ever leave me, will you?”

“Whoa, whoa, easy!” Kuroo soothed, sitting down on the bed and running his hand through Bokuto’s damp hair. “No matter what happens, I will always be there for you. Nothing could ever come between you and me.”

Bokuto relaxed against his pillow and shut his eyes with a sigh. Kuroo saw a glimmer of a tear slip out the corner of his eye and run down his cheek. Kuroo clutched at his chest, wishing he could just work some magic voodoo and make Bokuto better. Not just his sickness, but his heartbreak over losing his best friend. It made him feel even worse than he had before when he had seen Akaashi’s emotional turmoil at being rejected. He had no idea Bokuto was still feeling the loss, but apparently, his sickness brought out a raw honesty that he had buried beneath layers of positivity and distractions.

“Thanks, Kuroo. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Bokuto sighed, his face relaxing as he seemed to be getting drowsy.

“You’d probably be better off,” Kuroo muttered under his breath, but Bokuto already seemed too far gone to hear. He moved quietly through the room as he prepared to leave, setting a small, foldable table next to Bokuto with extra water bottles, crackers, and a couple boxes of tissues. His phone _pinged_ , and a quick glance at it informed him that Daichi was waiting for him out in the hall.

“I’ll be back later,” He whispered to an unconscious Bokuto and turned off the light just before slipping out into the hallway. Daichi turned at the sound and cocked his head in confusion when he emerged all by himself.

“Where’s Bokuto?”

“He’s sick, can you believe it?”

“You’re joking, Bokuto can get sick? I thought he was a superhuman.”

“I know, right? He actually asked me ‘Is this what being weak feels like?’” Kuroo imitated in Bokuto’s whiny voice, and they both snickered.

“We should bring him back something warm and soothing to eat. At least we have an excuse to leave early?”

“Sawamura, you are a genius! Anything to get out of this as quickly as possible.”

Upon arriving at the campus square, they scrunched up their noses at the level of enthusiasm surrounding them. Girls wandered about in groups in their trendiest outfits with giggles spilling from their lips. Music pumped from speakers set up at various points to flood the area with an energetic beat. Their feet naturally led them toward the food stalls where the air was filled with the fragrant haze from the deep fryers.

“The other team wasn’t even that good. At least when we played them in volleyball it was actually difficult,” Daichi grumbled as he waited in line.  

“I’ll never understand it. Well, at least we know we’re badass, right?”

“Exactly,” Daichi responded with a smug grin, and Kuroo resisted the urge to poke the dimple in his face.

_That would definitely piss him off_ , He thought, and luckily Daichi’s attention was whisked away as it was his turn to order his food.

With delicious delicacies in hand, they were able to locate the rest of the volleyball team hovering not too far away. Nishinoya was bouncing everywhere, keeping everyone’s spirits up as he soaked in the energetic atmosphere. He had become somewhat of a mascot for the team, a role that Bokuto held last year as the fresh-faced morale booster. Bokuto didn’t mind handing that torch to Nishinoya; with everything he was working through he didn’t need the extra pressure of keeping everyone else’s spirits up.

Just as Kuroo’s mood plummeted with thoughts of his sickly friend, he heard someone call his name. He glanced over his shoulder to see Terushima trotting through the crowds with an excited grin on his face.

“Oh, hey,” Kuroo greeted him with less enthusiasm as he usually did. Terushima’s smile slipped as he nudged his way between him and Daichi, and Kuroo felt an extra shock of irritation.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m alright. I’m sorry to say Bokuto couldn’t make it. He’s sick.”

“Oh, it’s nothing serious, is it?”

“Nah, just a cold. Of course, to a beefcake like him, you’d think he was dying.”

Terushima laughed, and Kuroo narrowed his eyes at his lack of sympathy.

“That’s a relief. Tell him I hope he feels better.”

_Well, that’s more like it, at least._

“Thanks, I’ll be sure to tell him. It’ll make him feel better knowing he’s missed.”

“Definitely! I mean, well, it’s not going to spoil the party or anything. We’re still here to have fun, right?”

Kuroo’s mouth dropped open in shock. His eyes flickered over to Daichi who was chatting with a couple of their upperclassmen. He must have been listening enough to shoot Kuroo a knowing look before rejoining the conversation. A hand waved in front of his face, grabbing his attention to the concerned blonde in front of him.

“Kuroo-senpai? Are you sure you’re okay? If you want to sit down, I can get you something to drink or eat.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” He said as he stepped back and waved him off. To his great relief, Daichi turned toward them and pulled Terushima into a conversation. Daichi may not have approved of Kuroo setting Terushima up with Bokuto, but he felt a kinship with his kouhai since they were both from Miyagi, and the respect Terushima had for Daichi was higher than most people.

While Terushima was distracted, Kuroo shot Daichi a grateful wink and snuck away to blend in with the crowd. He was able to observe the two from a distance until Terushima noticed his absence and ran off. When he was certain he was gone, Kuroo slipped back to Daichi’s side, his body hunched over to avoid being spotted.

“You look like an idiot.”

“At this point, I don’t mind. Let’s grab some more food and hide out somewhere until we’re ready to leave.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Daichi laughed, though he had already begun walking back toward the stalls.

“I don’t know, I’ve been getting some weird vibes from him lately. What was up with that earlier? He didn’t seem concerned about Bo at all!”

“Nope, I don’t think he was.”

“You might think he doesn’t even like him with that sort of attitude,” Kuroo grumbled as his eyes scanned the crowd to be on the lookout for Terushima, and he missed the way Daichi looked at him with sympathy in his eyes.

It seemed for the rest of the evening, whenever Kuroo was just beginning to enjoy himself, a certain blonde would pop up between him and Daichi. There was something in Terushima’s hopeful eyes as they gazed up at him that twisted his gut into knots. It was like a giant neon sign was flashing a message in his face, but Kuroo didn’t want to open his eyes to read it. He had a sickening feeling that he wasn’t going to like it.

Daichi wasn’t any help to him either. He seemed less irritated by Terushima’s interruptions than Kuroo was and seemed to be backing away more frequently as the night wore on. Kuroo felt like he was in some sort of cartoon, him chasing Daichi around while trying to shake Terushima off his tail.

“Why do you keep sneaking away?!” He hissed in Daichi’s ear after his patience was at the bare minimum. He glanced over his shoulder to see Terushima only a couple steps behind and groaned.

“Because I think—” Daichi began but was interrupted when Nishinoya called out his name.

“Ugh, what now?” Kuroo asked as they turned to see Nishinoya struggling with one of their older teammates draped completely over his small frame.

“Daichi-san! Can you help me get senpai back to his dorm? He’s totally drunk, and I’m not sure I can handle it.”

“Sure, I’ll come with you.”

“Wait, why don’t I go? No offense, but at least I match his height.”

“Kuroo-senpai, are you leaving already?” Terushima’s voice called behind him, and Kuroo’s entire body stiffened.

“Yeah, I was going to help Nishinoya take Senpai back to his dorm.”

“No, _I’ll_ help him get back,” Daichi interrupted, giving Kuroo a slight shove away as he draped his upperclassman’s arm over his shoulder to alleviate the strain on Nishinoya. “Why don’t you find something that would be good for Bokuto to eat and take it back to him. You may need to go off campus for something healthier.”

“Good idea, Sawamura. Sorry, Terushima, poor Bo is probably starving by now.”

“Why doesn’t Terushima go with you?” Daichi asked, and Kuroo spun his head around to glare daggers at his friend.

“Yeah! I’d love to, it’s the least I can do,” Terushima said, his entire demeanor brightening like a sun bursting from storm clouds. Kuroo scratched his face to hide most of his expression from his kouhai as he frowned at Daichi, sending a telepathic _What the f***?_

“Don’t stay out too late,” Daichi said with the corner of his mouth quirking up in a subtle smirk, letting Kuroo know that he received the message but was ignoring it completely. With a chuckle, Daichi urged his two companions forward to slip through the crowd to transport their staggering senpai safely to his dorm room.

Kuroo gaped after him until a cough drew him out of his stupor.

“Did you want to hang out here longer, or should we leave right away? You did say Bokuto-senpai’s probably hungry.”

“Right, yeah, let’s get going. I know a place not too far that has some good broth and stuff,” Kuroo said, his feet already moving to escape the frenzy of the celebration. He took a deep breath as Terushima trotted to catch up with him and tried to calm himself down. It wasn’t the kid’s fault everything turned out the way it did, from Bokuto’s sickness to Daichi’s weird behavior. But then there was Terushima’s clinginess, so maybe it was a little bit his fault.

Just on the outer edge of the festival, several of the _heroic_ basketball players were chatting with a group of girls, puffing out their chests and doing tricks with their big orange balls that didn’t impress Kuroo in the slightest. As he passed one player spinning the ball on his finger, Kuroo stuck his hand out and tapped it against rotating ball. It shot off the guy’s finger, bounced off his upperclassman’s head and flew off into the crowd. Terushima snorted and Kuroo picked up the pace as he tried to look as innocent as possible. Behind him, he heard squeals and shouts, and his grin slid into place as his mood improved just a little bit.

The walk to the cafe was short and uneventful. It was fast approaching autumn, and the nights had finally begun to cool. Kuroo fell into an easy conversation with Terushima, and he tried to shake off the weird vibes he had been feeling toward him. _He really isn’t that bad a kid_ , He thought as he told Kuroo a funny story that happened in his Chemistry class.

That was one thing that had surprised Kuroo about the sly blonde; he was exceptionally intelligent and was able to get good grades. It didn’t fit with his bad-boy persona, but he felt a little guilty prejudging him, knowing that others thought similar things about himself.

He was feeling more comfortable by the time they walked into the cafe and bought Bokuto his food. He wondered if maybe that’s why Daichi was influencing him to spend time with Terushima, to work through whatever weird feelings had been hanging between them. As soon as they stepped out of the cafe, however, the mood shifted.

He glanced at Terushima to find him pensive, his lips pressed in a tight line. He seemed nervous, and that instantly sparked butterflies in his own stomach.

“Hey, you okay? Don’t tell me you’re getting sick too.”

“Nah, I feel okay, just a bit… I don’t know, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Oh, okay,” Kuroo said with a shrug, hoping that would be the end of it.

“The thing is...” Terushima began, and Kuroo winced, knowing he was about to get an earful, “I feel like things between us have been up and down, and I’d like to verbalize what our relationship is so hopefully, we can progress a little—”

“I’m sorry, did you say _our_ relationship?”

“Yeah?”

“You and me?” Kuroo clarified, even gesturing his finger between them.

“Of course, don’t you think we’re kind of caught in this weird circle of flirting and then playing hard to get?”

“No, I— wait, you mean Bokuto?”

“What does Bokuto-senpai have to do with it?”

“Everything!” Kuroo said as he stopped to face Terushima head on. “Don’t you like Bokuto?”

Terushima’s eyebrows creased with confusion.

“I mean, he’s a great senpai, and he’s fun to hang out with. But I don’t like him more than that. Did you think that I did?”

“Yes, I’ve been trying to set the two of you up this whole time! I thought you liked him.”

Terushima took a step back, his gaze drifting away as he shook his head. As he processed what Kuroo had said, his expression of disbelief faded as it flickered between anger and hurt.

“I don’t understand, I’ve been flirting hard-core with you ever since we met.”

“What? Name one time!”

“Every time! That first night we did karaoke with everyone and I sang that song to you.”

“No, you were singing it _with_ Bokuto!”

“I winked at you!”

“Maybe you had something in your eye?”

Terushima groaned as he buried his face in his palms. Kuroo’s head was pounding as his brain was flooded with new information; information that was going to kill his poor friend.

“Kuroo-senpai? Can we just forget about Bokuto for a second?”

“How can I—”

“No, just for one moment, can you consider what I said? Leaving his feelings out of it, do you think maybe you can give me a chance?”

Kuroo gazed down at Terushima and felt a fresh wave of guilt layer itself over the guilt heap he was making for himself. Unlike when Oikawa had propositioned him the other day, he could tell that this rejection was actually going to hurt his kouhai a great deal. All Kuroo ever wanted when he started his matchmaking hobby was to give his friends a chance at love and happiness. He felt like some sort of grim reaper instead, spreading debilitating heartbreak with a wave of his hand.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I’ve only seen you as a possible boyfriend for my good friend, and nothing else.”

Terushima winced as if Kuroo had slapped him across the face. He clenched his jaw and looked away, and his breath coming out in a shudder.

“And that’ll never change?”

“Never… I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, you already said that. Listen, I gotta go. Tell Bokuto-senpai to get better, since I probably won’t be seeing you guys for a while. See ya,” He said as he shuffled past Kuroo at breakneck speed and didn’t look back.

 

Somehow Kuroo made it to the dorm even though his mind was entirely preoccupied. He reviewed every interaction they had ever had with Terushima with a new perspective, and like Daichi had said earlier, he was a total idiot. How could he possibly miss the fact that Terushima liked _him_? What else was he missing?

And then there was the whole issue of what to tell Bokuto, and when. Instead of heading straight to his dorm room where his sick roommate was waiting for him, he paused in front of a different room, one he was in almost just as often, and knocked. He heard shuffling and soft voices behind it, and after a moment it swung open.

“Don’t you think it’s a little late, Kuroo?” Matsukawa asked with an eyebrow raised. Kuroo scrunched his nose at both his cool tone and the fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt with his pajama pants.

“It’s not late at all. What are you, an old man?”

“I have no issue slamming this door in your face.”

“Please, just let me come in and talk to Sawamura.”

“I will, but it’s going to cost you.”

Kuroo exhaled through his teeth, hissing out his frustration. It only seemed to amuse Matsukawa as he raised his eyebrows. _How does he even do that? They must weigh a million pounds._

“How about this, what you have to tell him, is it juicy?”

“No, it’s serious! It’s about how I’ve messed everyone’s lives up, including the people I care about most!”

“That’s the juiciest shit I’ve heard in a long time. Come on in.”

Kuroo growled and swept past Matsukawa into their dorm room. He froze when he saw Daichi sitting on his bed while he typed something on his laptop, without a shirt on.

“Why are you _both_ topless?!”

Matsukawa snorted as he lounged on his own bed, crossing his arms behind his head as if settling in for some entertainment.

“Sawamura and I have nothing to hide from each other.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It _means_ ,” Daichi interrupted, setting his laptop aside and swinging his legs off the bed, “That we’re ready for bed and it’s too hot to sleep with a shirt on. Sit down, Kuroo, and tell us what happened with Terushima.”

“How did you know it has to do with him?!”

Daichi rolled his eyes and pointed to the spot next to him. Kuroo huffed and marched across the room, flopping onto the bed and hugging the bag of take-out to his chest.

“You might want to hurry up, that won’t stay warm for long. Did he confess to you?”

“You knew?!” Kuroo squawked, looking at his friend in disbelief. Daichi gave him a sad smile and sighed.

“I’ve had a gut feeling about it for a while, but any doubt I had was obliterated after tonight at the festival. Terushima had eyes only for you,” Daichi explained as he scrunched up his face. Kuroo groaned and knocked his head back against the wall.

“How could I have been so stupid?”

“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Matsukawa sighed. Kuroo leaned up to retort, but Daichi’s hand grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

“Let him talk, or I’ll kick you out,” Daichi warned his roommate, and Kuroo relished in the way Matsukawa’s smirk slid off his face.

“This is my room. He’s the intruder.”

“And you let him in here to hear what he has to say. The least you can do is be quiet.”

“Fine,” He huffed, the top of his lip twitching as if he was about to snarl.

“So, yeah, Terushima liked me this whole time instead of Bokuto, and now I have to go over there, wake the poor guy up to eat and tell him the horrible news.”

“How did you respond to Terushima? You aren’t… you didn’t accept his confession, did you?” Daichi asked. There was a trace of fear in his voice, and Kuroo turned his gaze to see his entire forehead wrinkled with worry. Kuroo smiled and reached his hand over to smooth his thumb across it.

“No way. Even if Bokuto wasn’t part of the equation I wouldn’t be interested.”

Daichi’s face relaxed with a sigh and leaned his head back, letting his gaze wander around the room.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you. I’m just glad this whole thing didn’t carry on any further so Terushima didn’t get more attached to you than he already was, and the same with Bokuto…” Daichi continued on about the situation, but Kuroo found himself momentarily distracted as his gaze wandered down from Daichi’s face and across his bare shoulders. He twisted his mouth as he compared his own bicep with Daichi’s since it seemed quite a bit larger.

Even though they had been on the same volleyball team for a year and a half, he’d never taken the time to observe just how solidly built Daichi was. It was easy to underestimate his friend’s physique when he was so much shorter than most of the team, and Daichi’s paranoia about his waistline had put the thought in his head that perhaps he was on the chunkier side. He may not have been built with the long, lean muscle that Kuroo had, but his skin softly rolled over mounds of corded muscle that became more pronounced with every breath he took. He couldn’t understand Daichi’s worry about his weight when the only fat on him was just an extra casing over his pectorals and a little extra at the waist.

Kuroo smirked as he looked down on it and tightened his grip on the bag in his hands, keeping his fingers occupied so they didn’t reach down and pinch at the extra skin. The last thing he needed was to be murdered before giving Bokuto his dinner.

“Kuroo, are you even listening?” Daichi’s irritated tone snatched his attention.

“No, he wasn’t, his mind was definitely somewhere else,” Matsukawa interjected, an evil grin sliding into place. Kuroo ignored him completely as his cheeks grew uncomfortably warm and coughed.

“Sorry, I zoned out.”

“Clearly,” Daichi said, crossing his arms and causing his biceps to flex even larger. Kuroo forced his gaze up to Daichi’s face and chuckled awkwardly.

“So, you were saying?”

“Listen, Bokuto’s food is getting cold. Go over there and feed him, take care of him and make him comfortable. If he asks you a lot about the party, you might want to tell him to avoid any lying. But if he doesn’t and just wants to sleep, let him. You might be miserable all night, but he’s sick and needs to get well.”

“What, my health isn’t important?”

“It is, but this whole thing is your fault. You deserve to lose a little sleep over it,” Daichi said as his lips turned up in a teasing grin and he leaned toward Kuroo and nudged him with his shoulder.

“Fair enough,” Kuroo laughed, feeling a little better even though he knew he was about to feel even worse. “Well, I’ll let you two old men go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow, though I’ll probably text you first to tell you what happened.”

“Good. Maybe we can do something to cheer him up. Hopefully, nothing to do with romance.”

“Deal,” Kuroo said as he stood up from Daichi’s bed and walked the two steps to the door to slip his shoes back on. He shivered as cool air rushed around him, and he didn’t even realize just how warm he was nestled beside Daichi.  With his hand on the doorknob, he turned to say goodnight, but the words got caught in his throat as Daichi leaned forward with a dimpled smile on his face. He had no clue why his brain suddenly became fuzzy, but his thoughts were interrupted when suddenly Matsukawa stood in front of him and placed his palm against his face.

“Goodnight, Kuroo,” He said as he shoved him out into the hallway and closed the door in his face.

“Rude,” He huffed, but the weird spell was broken and now nothing could distract him from his duty. He felt the contents of the back and sighed with relief that it still felt warm and rushed toward his dorm room.

As he gingerly opened the door, he saw the room was still dark and quiet. He slipped in and turned on a small lamp instead of the overhead, so he didn’t startle Bokuto with a shock of bright light. The snores coming from his unconscious roommate were even louder than usual with the excess drainage in his nose. Kuroo inspected the table next to him to find a pile of scrunched up water bottles and at least one tissue box completely emptied and tossed to the side. He cleaned it off and began setting out Bokuto’s food before giving his shoulder a little shake.

“Bo? Come on, Buddy, I brought you something to eat.”

His broad shoulders hunched up as his eyes fluttered open, and Kuroo was relieved that they looked less red and glassy than they had when he left.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Bokuto said in a raspy voice as he shuffled onto his back. “Did you have fun?”

“Eh, it was alright. Sit up and eat, and then you can go right back to sleep.”

“That sounds awesome,” He yawned, and with Kuroo’s help, he was able to sit up straight. As Kuroo removed the lid from his soup, Bokuto’s face lit up and he snatched it away to devour it. Kuroo chuckled and opened some of the side dishes and began straightening up around the room, stuffing used tissues into the empty take-out bag and tying it up to contain them.

For a while, Bokuto didn’t speak, too busy inhaling his food and humming his appreciation for it. Kuroo rubbed some hand sanitizer on his hands before snatching up some more water when he heard Bokuto groan.

“Dude, that hit the spot. So, what was the festival like?”

“It was crazy, but the food wasn’t bad. I would have brought you back some of that, but it wouldn’t have been good for your throat.”

“That’s alright, the food you brought was delicious,” He said with a sleepy grin, and Kuroo couldn’t resist smiling back at him.

“We can talk more about it tomorrow. You should drink some water and take some medicine, and then straight back to bed.”

“Yeah, yeah, Mom,” Bokuto chuckled, but in his sickly state he didn’t have the energy to argue. Kuroo replenished his stock of water and tissues, and soon Bokuto was laying back down and wiggling into his bedding to get comfortable. He giggled as Kuroo wrapped him up tight in his blanket and ruffled his hair.

“Night, Beefcake.”

“Nigh’Kuroo,” He mumbled against his pillow, and within moments was snoring heavily. Kuroo sighed and changed into his own pajamas. He had a headache and his chest throbbed knowing how hurt Bokuto was going to be the next day. He slipped into bed and shut off the light, trying to focus on the fact that at least Bokuto went straight back to sleep. Daichi was right, Bokuto’s health came before his own, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to help him through yet another bout of heartbreak, even one he regretfully caused himself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I've been so slow updating this story!! I've been distracted by tumblr requests and kurodai weekend, but now for at least a while I can fully concentrate on working through my WIP's! So, you'll definitely be seeing quicker updates from now on (especially if you guys leave encouraging comments, cough cough). Thank you to everyone who's stuck with it so far :) You guys are awesome!  
> On a side note, this is probably going to be a lot longer than I initially predicted, ha ha ha, oh well.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Kuroo sat across from Bokuto, each on their own bed. He fumbled through the words, scratching an imaginary itch on his forehead to hide the way Bokuto’s expression gradually fell. His voice broke a couple times, covering it up with a cough and tried to be as uplifting as he could with the news that Terushima wasn’t interested in him. Considering it wasn’t himself that rejected his friend, he could never have imagined that it would be one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do in his life.  

But even that couldn’t compare to the weight he had to bear in the heavy silence of the room as Bokuto processed the news. Bokuto had a wide-range of wild emotions that Kuroo had witnessed during games, and he had the tendency to be comically hysterical over the littlest things. This was different.

“Oh,” He said finally, his voice barely above a whisper as his eyes stared at the floor between them. “I should have known.”

“What? Why?”

His shoulders gave a slight shrug as his gaze drifted up to their small window, avoiding Kuroo’s eyes.

“Terushima’s a really cool guy, and good looking. It makes sense he’d rather go for someone like you.”

“That’s bullshit!” Kuroo snapped. “Terushima’s just one guy, Bokuto, with peculiar tastes I might add.” The self-deprecating remark caused the corner of Bokuto’s lips to turn up, and Kuroo took the cue to continue. “Bo, I know this feels like the worst right now, but I promise you the pain will fade. And one day you’re going to find the right guy for you, who’s going to think you’re the hottest piece of ass on the planet, most talented volleyball player, and by far the most adorable guy they’ve ever met.”

“You think someone would feel that way about me?”

“Of course, Akaashi did after all.” _Oh, shit_ , Kuroo thought as Bokuto’s face pinched at the reminder of his old friend he missed so much. “Um, I mean I’m sure a ton of people have liked you in the past, and many more will in the future! I have no doubts!”

“Yeah… maybe.”

“And you know, Terushima was always a weird guy. You can do way better than him.”

Bokuto gave him a weak smile, looking so unnatural on his normally charismatic face. It gripped Kuroo deep in his chest, and he found that there were no more words of comfort he could offer his friend. His heart raced as he began to panic, and as an act of desperation he slipped his phone out of his pocket and pounded out a text.

**_Kuroo_ ** _: I need you_

**_Daichi_ ** _: … in what context?_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: I told Bo and I’ve never seen him like this_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: Nothing is cheering him up, help me_

**_Daichi_ ** _: How long ago did you tell him?_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: Like a minute or two ago_

**_Daichi_ ** _: You seriously expect him to be over it already?_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: Not over it, just distracted_

**_Daichi_ ** _: Stop distracting him. He needs to work through it_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: Nooooooooo_

**_Kuroo_** _: This is all my fault I can’t have him be like this_  

**_Daichi_ ** _: You should have thought of that sooner Matchmaker-san_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: Are you really just going to turn your back on him?_

**_Daichi_ ** _: Give me half an hour, just allow him to talk or be silent until then_

**_Kuroo_ ** _: OK_

He pocketed his phone and looked up see Bokuto’s solid frame melted onto the mattress as if all his bones had suddenly disappeared. Kuroo slipped off his bed and crept forward a couple steps, craning his head to see if Bokuto was still alive. His broad chest continued to rise and fall with shallow breaths, so Kuroo knew he wasn’t dead yet, but his face stared up at the ceiling with no life behind his eyes. Kuroo winced and waved his hand in front of his face, but the only reaction he received was a few blinks.

“Bo? What do you need me to do? I know there’s little I can do to comfort you right now, but please let me know if there is something I can do. I’ll talk, or I can be silent. I can even leave if that’s what you’d prefer.”

“No, don’t leave,” Bokuto said quickly, his voice thick and raspy. “I don’t want to be alone… I hate being alone.”

His chest began to rise and fall more quickly as he pinched his face, wrapping his arms around himself. With a groan, he turned onto his side and then his stomach to bury his face into his plush bedding. Kuroo closed his eyes as they grew painfully hot and slipped onto Bokuto’s bed beside him. He said nothing else as he rubbed his hand up and down Bokuto’s back, feeling a tear escape the corner of his eye and slide down his cheek.

With a sniff he wiped it on his shoulder, trying to hold the rest in. He needed to focus completely on Bokuto’s needs as his back began to shake under Kuroo’s palm. Laying down beside him on the mattress, Kuroo wrapped his arm around him and buried his face into Bokuto’s back.

“Shhh, don’t worry, Bo. You’ll never be alone. I promise.”

Bokuto didn’t answer but released his heartbreak through tears and shuddering breaths. Kuroo wrapped him up tighter, and that more than anything seemed to soothe Bokuto’s turmoil. Eventually, his body stopped shaking as his breaths drew in deeper and slower, his sobs fading into sniffs and hiccups.

After a while, there was a knock at their door, and Daichi called from the other side announcing he brought treats. Kuroo straightened up and sighed with relief that Bokuto followed suit, wiping his face on his shirt. He seemed unsure about Daichi seeing him in his state, but Kuroo squeezed his shoulder and gave him an encouraging wink before hopping up to his feet to answer the door.

As the door swung open, the heavenly aroma of barbequed meat seeped into their small room. Daichi wore a smug grin as he let himself in, chuckling at their stunned faces. Wiping the drool that had just formed on his lips, Kuroo glanced up, read to warn Daichi to tread lightly around Bokuto’s fragile state. Before he could say or gesture anything, Daichi walked up to Bokuto and leaned toward him with a warm smile.

“Hungry?”

“Starving!”

Daichi laughed and knocked the tissue boxes off his table with a clatter and sat a hefty bag on top of it.

“This one’s yours. You look like you’re feeling better, I’m glad you got some sleep last night.”

“Yeah… I mean physically I feel a bit better,” Bokuto said, blinking as if he had been in some sort of food-induced trance.

“Physical hurt heals faster than emotional, but everything will be harder if you don’t take care of your health, Bokuto. Eat up!” Daichi turned to Kuroo and held up a second bag. “This one’s for us.”

“Why don’t I get my own bag?” Kuroo whined though a teasing grin spread across his face as he set up another couple tables.

“Because I couldn’t afford any more than this. Which reminds me, I’ll send you the bill for your portion later.”

“What?! I didn’t agree to that!”

“ _I need you, Sawamura. Help me, Sawamura!_ ” Daichi mocked in an annoying voice and smirked at the offended look on Kuroo’s face. “I have the evidence on my phone if you’d like to see it.”

“Fine, just text me later how much I owe you.”

“Gladly,” Daichi chuckled as he settled next to Kuroo on his bed. As they began to eat their portion, they glanced across the room to see a serene expression on Bokuto’s face as he tore into his food.

“How did you know that would work?” Kuroo murmured under his breath.

“Well, food never fixes your problems, but it always makes me feel better. Some people can’t eat anything if they’re sad, but I had the feeling Bokuto would be the same as me.”

“Good thinking. Thanks for coming to my rescue,” Kuroo chuckled, nudging Daichi with his shoulder. Daichi’s smile spread wide as he turned his gaze from Bokuto to Kuroo, his delectable dimples prickling his cheeks.

“Anytime.”

 

It became easier with time to distract Bokuto from his heartache, mostly due to their busy schedule filled with classes and volleyball practice. Nishinoya picked up on Bokuto’s sullen mood immediately and shouted encouragement throughout their drills, despite not knowing what was bringing him down. Kuroo noted a surge of confidence in Bokuto as he landed a nice spike against the team members they were currently playing against and felt relieved that little by little he was becoming himself again.

As the next weekend rolled around, however, there weren’t enough activities happening to distract Bokuto. After a flurry of texting with Daichi, who proved to be no help at all, he turned to his last resort: Oikawa. They had been spending more time with the rival setter over the past several weeks, and true to his position the man had an uncanny ability to see through people’s facades and could easily build them up or tear them down. It was risky since he could easily pull Bokuto deeper into despair and affect their team’s ability to win. But Kuroo knew Bokuto had a way of endearing himself to even the most cold-hearted people, and he was willing to take the risk that Oikawa would feel the same way.

Oikawa responded positively to helping Kuroo distract Bokuto and cheer him up, so they arranged to meet a couple train stops away for some good food and shopping. Even Daichi tagged along, but Kuroo had the feeling it was more because he was suspicious of Oikawa than he was worried about Bokuto. Once they met up and began perusing different stores, Kuroo felt Daichi’s suspicions were completely unwarranted.

Oikawa dazzled Bokuto with well-timed compliments and offered sage advice on fashionable clothes he thought suitable for the wing spiker. Kuroo observed the two interacting with interest, marveling that Oikawa’s skills at handling delicate egos might have been on par with Akaashi himself. He watched as Oikawa’s nimble fingers slid under the collar of a jacket Bokuto was trying on and smoothed it out, compliments dripping out of his mouth like honey until Bokuto was preening like a peacock. An inkling of an idea materialized in Kuroo’s mind as he tapped his finger against his lips until suddenly he gasped.

_Oikawa and Bokuto… that could actually work!_

“Kuroo?” Daichi’s voice interrupted before he could begin formulating a plan. He frowned down at his friend and flinched at the dark scowl resting on his face. “What are you thinking about?”

“Since when are my thoughts up for public knowledge?”

“I know that expression, and it’s _dangerous_. Seriously, spill it.”

“It’s nothing, really!” He laughed, waving Daichi off. He shivered as Daichi’s face darkened, and it felt like the temperature of the entire room had dropped at least thirty degrees. “Okay, just look at them. Don’t they look cute?”

“No.”

“You don’t think they look cute?”

“They’re both reasonably attractive people on their own but I know you’re referencing them together, and I’m telling you _no_.”

“But--”

“Kuroo, you promised me you’d stop,” Daichi said, softer this time without his previous anger. It caused Kuroo’s lips to pinch shut, seeing the disappointment in Daichi’s warm, brown eyes. His gaze drifted back to Bokuto, seeing him rattle off a story to Oikawa with just a fraction of his usual enthusiasm, and sighed.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I’ll stay out of it. If it happens, it happens, and that’ll be that.”

“You’re not just going to _subtly_ drop the hint to Bokuto?” Daichi asked with one of his eyebrows raising a hair.

“I won’t mention it at all, no hints. I’m a silent observer.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Daichi said as a smile returned to his face, and Kuroo couldn’t help feeling another bout of guilt wash over him. Even after everything he had done, he still had Daichi’s trust and he felt like he didn’t deserve one iota of it. He gulped down the negativity and pasted a grin on his face as Bokuto waved at him. He refused to do or say anything that would take Daichi’s trust or Bokuto’s reliance for granted, and this time he was determined to do it right.

After their purchases were made, they all stopped in at a nearby cafe for a light lunch with Oikawa offering to pay for Bokuto’s meal. _He certainly knows the way to Bokuto’s heart_ , Kuroo thought with a smirk and sent Daichi a wink to let him know what he was thinking. Daichi rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to the menu instead, and Kuroo shrugged since that was about the reaction he expected.

His soul felt infinitely lighter as they ate, seeing Bokuto slowly ease back into his usual self. It wasn’t until Oikawa offered him some pepper for his food that Bokuto’s expression froze, and slowly his whole body began to wilt.

“Terushima always used to sprinkle pepper on his food.”

Kuroo sent Oikawa a glare, but the brunette looked just as frantic to change the subject.

“Um, you know, Boku-chan. You really were too good for that guy.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“I may be saying that to make you feel better, but I swear it’s the truth. And let me tell you, there’s no greater way to get over someone than moving on with someone better.”

Kuroo brightened at the subject and opened his mouth, but a sharp look from Daichi clamped his jaw shut.

“What if it’s the same thing all over again? Being rejected once is hard enough.”

“I promise you that you won’t always be rejected. To be honest, instead of a relationship you should just try hooking up with some people. That way you get your pleasure without the commitment.”

The look Daichi and Kuroo exchanged mirrored each other’s expressions; neither liked the direction Oikawa was taking it. To their relief, Bokuto looked just as unconvinced as they did.

“Nah, that’s not really my thing. I mean, I like being around a lot of people, but I just want one to really love me, you know?”

Oikawa let out a bitter laugh and gazed out the window, staring at the crowds of people meandering by.

“That’s the dream, isn’t it? What are the chances of finding one person who would actually stick with you forever?”

An awkward silence fell over the table as Oikawa seemed to become less present at the moment. Bokuto frowned and stared at his empty plate, his mood plummeting at breakneck speed. Kuroo glanced between them, suddenly worried about not only Bokuto but also Oikawa, his dark words obviously coming from his personal experience.

“Hey,” Daichi said in a soft voice, but firm enough to draw everyone’s attention to him. He kept his gaze on Bokuto and leaned forward. “Bokuto, most people want romance and another person to call their own. It is the dream, as Oikawa said. But you are not anything less for currently being single. I get it, right now you’re heartbroken, but have you noticed this past week how we’ve all been bending over backward to make you feel better? I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty, far from it. You need to know how many people care about you and want you to feel happy and confident. The team adores you, your classmates enjoy your presence, and even your professors are amused by you. I hope one day you find the right person for you, but until then you need to always remember that you’re awesome, just as you are.”

Daichi paused a moment as Bokuto saturated his words with a mesmerized look on his face. Daichi’s eyes flickered to Oikawa before returning to Bokuto as he straightened up in his seat.

“And I can tell you this, Bokuto. Running away from your heartbreak by sleeping with other people is only burying the issue, and it’s going to fester there until it’s no longer possible to heal. You might be sad for a while, but I promise that dealing with your problems and being honest is a healthier way to live than the alternative. And bit by bit, you’ll start being yourself again. I know you will.”

Bokuto’s head drifted up and down as he considered his words, gradually nodding with more confidence.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I think I can do that. To be honest, I was starting to feel guilty for feeling so sad. You guys have been trying so hard to make me feel better.”

“No one expects you to be back to normal right away. Just take your time, continue to live your life, and soon you’ll feel just fine.”

Bokuto nodded again, his eyes drifting away as he fell deep in thought. There was an aura of peace about him that hadn’t been there before, and Kuroo felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He gave Daichi a little nudge and smiled, silently thanking him for his encouraging words.

Kuroo glanced up to acknowledge Oikawa as well, but he seemed rather distant as well, resting his lips against his fingers as he gazed out the window. His eyebrows were furrowed, his whole face pinched with stress. He desperately wanted to know what was on his mind, but when he shared a concerned look with Daichi, the other man shook his head; a little reminder about how he shouldn’t meddle.

Soon Oikawa snapped back to reality and had shaken off whatever was bothering him. After they were finished with their meal, they continued wandering around town with no set direction, and Kuroo was ecstatic that Bokuto seemed to genuinely be enjoying himself. Daichi’s speech must have sparked something in him, and Kuroo hoped from then on, his friend could resist getting heartbroken. At least for a little while.

 

Several days later, Kuroo was hunched over his rarely used desk in their dorm room as a storm raged outside. He could get away with not studying if he paid attention in class, but nothing could save him from dreaded research papers. At least it wasn’t a beautiful day outside, so he didn’t feel like he was missing anything. And Bokuto was still out of the room, so at that moment there was nothing to distract him.

With a gasp, Kuroo straightened up and checked his phone. Bokuto should have been back half an hour ago, but he hadn’t even received a text from him. Kuroo glanced out the window and cringed.

_He probably forgot his umbrella… Idiot._

Kuroo opened his phone and began typing out a message to Bokuto, asking if he needed rescuing. He hadn’t even pressed the _send_ button when the door swung open, startling him so he nearly fell out of his chair. Bokuto stood in the doorway, drenched from head to toe, but his golden eyes were shining brighter than he had seen in the longest time. He took several deep breaths before he was even able to speak.

“Dude… you’re not gonna believe what just happened.”

 

**_Half an hour earlier…_ **

“Uuuggghhhh,” Bokuto groaned as he hovered under the massive, stone overhang outside the Education Department building on campus where his class had just ended. Just beyond it, the rain flowed in multiple directions, thick droplets pelting the ground like watery bullets. He craned his head to look up at the sky, but it was one dark mass of storm clouds without a break in sight.

Bokuto didn’t have to look in his backpack to know he left his umbrella back at the dorm. He could text Kuroo to bring it to him, but he didn’t want his best friend going out in that weather, not when he had been doing so much for Bokuto lately. But he also didn’t want to be stuck there for who knew how long.

_Maybe I should run for it_ , Bokuto thought, already hiking up the collar to his jacket and gripping onto straps of his backpack. He froze when he heard a voice behind him, a brief noise and then silence. His head whipped around, but there was no one there.

Bokuto cocked his head and walked slowly back toward the building, peeking around the massive pillars until he passed one with a person standing right behind it. The young man had his back flat against the stone, his face buried in his palms as if that would hide him from view. Bokuto felt both elated and somber at the sight of him, and for a moment couldn’t speak. What was there to say? Well, there were millions of things he wanted to say, but he didn’t want to say anything that would hurt him any more than he already had.

He pressed his lips tight together and reached out cautiously, slipping his hand over the other man’s and gently pulled it back to reveal a set of emerald eyes.

“Hey, Akaashi,” He said gently, reluctantly releasing his hand to take a step back. “I can pretend I didn’t see you if you’d prefer it.”

Akaashi’s eyes widened slightly, seeming too nervous to say anything, but after a moment he regained control and shook his head.

“No, it’s fine, Bokuto-san. You don’t have to leave.”

“Really?!” Bokuto said, his loud voice echoing off the stone facades and his grin splitting across his face. “How are you? You look good! Have you been busy? Are you eating enough? I really missed you, seeing you, and hanging out with you, even studying with you. Do you think--”

Akaashi slapped his palm across Bokuto’s mouth, his typically pale cheeks bursting with color as he shushed him.

“Please, just one at a time. I… I’m fine, better than I was,” He answered and gazed up at Bokuto’s eyes shining at him from over his fingers. He blinked expectantly back at Akaashi, who realized that answering that one question wasn’t going to cut it. “I’m eating fine. I’ve made some good friends and have several senpais who are looking out for me. Of course, I’m busy. I’ve been focusing on performing well in school, so it leaves little time for anything else.”

Bokuto slipped his hand over Akaashi’s again to pull it away from his mouth so he could speak. Akaashi jerked it back as if he’d been burned, and Bokuto sucked in a quick breath at how the small action felt like a slap in the face. He gulped the hurt down, however, knowing first-hand what it felt like to be heartbroken. He even had the feeling it was worse for Akaashi since he had been in love with him for far longer than he liked Terushima.

“I’m relieved,” Bokuto finally said, forcing a smile on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot, and I hate not knowing if you’re alright. Do you think--” He began but bit his lips as he turned his gaze back out at the storm instead of Akaashi.

“Do I think what, Bokuto-san?” Akaashi asked as he twiddled his fingers nervously in front of him.

“Um, do you think we could see each other sometime? We can hang out in a group if you want, or just have a cup of coffee. That way I can know you’re okay and talk for a minute without making you uncomfortable.”

“You don’t make me uncomfortable, you never did,” Akaashi said quickly, his lips curling in a small smile. Bokuto felt his spirit lift, but he said nothing as he hoped Akaashi would answer his question. His eyes fell to Akaashi’s lips as he bit them, hesitating for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Yes, I think that would be fine. Um, for now, though, I need to walk back to my dorm. I assume you forgot your umbrella, as usual?”

“Oh, yeah,” Bokuto laughed, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment. Akaashi’s smile grew as he slid his umbrella out of his bag.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back. Your dorm is close to mine.”

“You mean it?!”

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it,” Akaashi said curtly as he rushed to the edge of the overhang and popped the umbrella open. He held it high so Bokuto could sneak underneath, keeping his gaze forward and his chin held high.

“Thanks, Akaashi. You’re the best,” Bokuto said as he hunched beside him. As they made their way out into the storm, Bokuto found it difficult remaining under the umbrella without squishing himself against Akaashi. He wished it could be like old times, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and holding him close, but he knew better now. He was beginning to learn that being caring sometimes meant restraining himself and though he was trying his best he absolutely despised it.

Luckily, Akaashi began asking him about how he was doing and soon they fell into comfortable conversation. Leaving out his own heartbreak, it almost felt natural spilling everything else out to Akaashi. He enjoyed his friendship with Kuroo, but there was something about Akaashi that filled him with peace. With a few simple words, the other had the ability to build him up to his best when he had just been at his lowest. He just wished he had the same power over Akaashi; then he could just say exactly what his friend needed to hear to realize how awesome he was.

All too soon, they reached Bokuto’s dorm, and he felt his mood plummet as Akaashi hesitated on the top step, just out of reach from the rain.

“Please go straight upstairs and change if you got wet, Bokuto-san. You don’t want to get sick again.”

“I will, I promise. Wait, you knew I was sick?”

Akaashi’s eyes widened as his cheeks flushed bright again, and he gripped the handle of his umbrella as he licked his lips nervously.

“Um, yes, well, Matsukawa-san had mentioned it in passing last week. I-I’m glad you’re better, but I have to go now.”

“Wait, Akaashi?” Bokuto called, and Akaashi paused from rushing down the stairs and glanced over his shoulder. “You will talk to me from now on, won’t you?”

“I will… Not as much as before, but I will start talking to you more. Bye, Bokuto-san,” He said, his words nearly lost to the sound of pattering rain as he turned away and rushed down the rest of the stairs.

 

**_Back to the present…_ **

“Whoa,” Kuroo said, leaning back in his chair as he ran his hands through his thick, mess of hair. “That’s crazy, Dude.”

“I know, it was totally unexpected,” Bokuto said and slipped a dry shirt over his head.

“How do you feel now?”

“Great! I mean, frustrated because I just want us to be like normal. But this is a start, and damn, it was good to see him. Like, seeing him and talking to him made my chest feel warm and my brain became a little fuzzy.”

“Is that… good?”

“Yeah, feels great!”

“Ah, well that’s all that matters,” Kuroo snickered. “I’m happy for you, Buddy, I know it’s been really hard for you lately.”

He observed how wide and piercing Bokuto’s grin was, completely authentic as opposed to the fake smiles he’d been throwing around. As soon as he was dressed, he flopped onto his bed with an extra bounce, another indicator he was feeling more himself.

“It was really nice of him to walk me to the dorm. He didn’t have to do that.”

“No, he didn’t… wait, there’s one thing I don’t understand.”

“What?”

“If Akaashi walked you to the dorm, up to the door, why the hell were you soaking wet?!”

Bokuto chuckled awkwardly as his cheeks dusted a light pink.

“Oh, about that… I was so excited he talked to me, I couldn’t contain it. So, I ran around the dorm and then around his and then back. I felt a little better getting that out of my system.”

Kuroo sputtered with laughter, bending over as he wrapped his arms around his stomach.

“You would,” He wheezed, and soon Bokuto was joining him. They laughed for several minutes as all the guilt and tension that had been hovering between them disintegrated, relief and joy replacing every bit of negativity.

Kuroo knew it would still be a long road ahead for Bokuto to get back on his feet completely. But now he had no doubt that his friend was going to be just fine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm predicting this will be concluded in around 10 chapters, but we'll have to see how everything pans out. I actually would like to do an extra chapter after that, featuring Matsukawa's perspective from various points of the story. It should prove to be very silly and also provide a little more insight into certain things ;)   
> I hope you're all enjoying this! Despite the heartbreak and angst involved with the plot, I've really enjoyed writing it so far. And I can't wait to share the rest of the story with you all! :)


	7. Chapter 7

True to his word, Kuroo did not drop one hint to either Oikawa or Bokuto that he thought they’d make an excellent couple. He did have to suffer the scathing glares from Daichi, however, when he invited them all out and would slink away unnoticed to allow the pair some alone time, dragging Daichi along with him. It didn’t seem to bother them, and Bokuto was perking up more and more as the weeks fluttered by.

Finally, autumn crept in as it always does, warm one day and a chilly breeze sweeping through the next as the trees scattered throughout campus transformed into beacons of crimson, orange and gold. Kuroo loved this time of year. For some reason, it infused an aura of mystery into everything around him like something exciting was waiting around the corner. And best of all, Bokuto’s birthday was next week and they planned on celebrating all weekend.

Kuroo told Bokuto it was his choice what they wanted to do, and he cheered obscenely loud that he wanted to go to their favorite club again. Kuroo rejoiced in his declaration, ignoring the groan coming from Daichi as he seemed to physically wilt. He wasn’t worried that Daichi would protest; he wanted Bokuto to enjoy himself as much as Kuroo did. All it took was a little nudge of his elbow into Daichi’s ribs and the other man pasted on a fake grin, stuttering about how excited he was to go clubbing.

Kuroo hummed happily as he dressed himself up on Friday evening, trying his best to match the erratic tune Bokuto was whistling across the room. A couple times their notes clashed painfully, but they glanced over their shoulders at each other and laughed it off.

“Hey, hey, do you think I should wear this jacket?” Bokuto asked, giving a little spin as he held it open. Kuroo narrowed his eyes as he looked him over carefully, nodding as he took in every detail.

“Dude totally wear the jacket. You look hot.”

“Thanks! But sorry, you’re not my type,” Bokuto teased with a wink, his teeth gleaming from his wide grin.

“Pfft, you Dork,” Kuroo laughed, hooking his arm around Bokuto’s neck and tried wrestling him to the ground.

“No, no! You’ll mess up my hair!”

“It literally looks the same as it always does. Unless you look like a drowned rat, that is.”

“Rude! Especially coming from you, Bedhead. Is that what you’re wearing?” Bokuto asked, gesturing toward Kuroo’s outfit.

“Yeah, does it look alright?”

“You look good, but how did you get into those pants? Are they gonna rip if you bend over?”

Kuroo cackled and waved him off as he checked himself out in the mirror.

“Nah, they’re stretchy. They make my legs look even longer, don’t they?”

“You look like you’re on stilts!”

“Yeah, but it looks good, right?”

Bokuto shrugged as he rummaged around in his nightstand.

“If you’re going for that long, lean look. Me? I like to show off my buffer assets.”

Kuroo snickered but kept his mouth shut. He threaded a studded belt through the loops on his dark jeans and fastened it, snapping his tight t-shirt so it fell over it naturally. He grabbed his new sweater jacket he had purchased on one of their recent shopping trips and slipped it on, checking the time on his watch before reaching back to fix his hood.

“Better hurry up, Bo. Sawamura’s probably already waiting for us out in the hall, and he’ll be grumpy enough as it is.”

“Oh, yeah. Maybe he should pop in here first, so we can check out his outfit. Remember the last time we went clubbing?” Bokuto snorted as he pulled a small bottle of cologne out and spritzed himself lightly. Kuroo laughed at the memory, feeling a wave of second-hand embarrassment at seeing Daichi wearing something more appropriate for a school teacher than a young college student out at a club.

“I would guide him better with my fashionable knowledge, but I’d rather not get my ass kicked. At least it’ll give us something to laugh about when his back his turned.”

Like clockwork, his phone _pinged_ with a text from Daichi that he was ready and waiting out in the hall.

“Time’s up, let’s go!” Kuroo chirped, and with an arm slung over Bokuto’s shoulders he ushered them out of the room. He spotted Daichi down the hall with his back toward them, and he excitedly trotted forward to see what a fashion disaster he was this time. But as his friend turned toward him, Kuroo felt his body slow down as if he was walking through water. His heart, on the other hand, began to race frantically as his throat went completely dry.

_What the hell??_ Kuroo thought as he gaped at the way Daichi’s dark gray V-neck hugged his muscled torso, the graphic print scaling down it diagonally in a way that made it impossible to look anywhere else. Daichi wasn’t one to wear jewelry, so it was surprising to see several necklaces draped around his neck and dangling across the bit of chest peeking out of his shirt. His jeans weren’t tight like Kuroo’s, but they seemed to hug him in just the right ways to show off his own, um, assets.

Kuroo hadn’t even realized he was staring until Daichi was suddenly right in front of him, craning his head around to catch his eye with his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

“Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

Kuroo blinked and stepped back, clearing his throat to pass it off even though it felt like his face had been lit on fire.

“I, erma goowha,” Kuroo tried to answer, but his tongue weighed a million pounds.

“Was that Japanese?”

“No, yes, yeah, I’m good, just-- what’s all that?”

Daichi arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of his chest, unfortunately pulling Kuroo’s gaze back down.

“I suppose you’re going to make fun of my outfit?”

“No, it’s not what you usually wear, that’s all.”

“Matsukawa and I went shopping the other day, we needed some stuff and he insisted on picking me out something new since he knew we’d be going out.”

Kuroo scrunched up his face and huffed, which seemed to amuse Daichi as he smirked back at him.

“Since when do you two go shopping? How did you get that troll to leave his cave?”

“He does leave occasionally, otherwise he’d go nuts. And you’re not my only friend you know, I don’t have to spend every waking moment with you,” Daichi teased, reaching out to tug on his T-shirt. “Come on, Nishinoya’s waiting for us downstairs and he’s probably doing laps around the building by this point.”

“Oh, I didn’t know Noya enjoyed clubbing so much,” Bokuto said, skipping down the hallway ahead of them. Daichi exchanged a grin with Kuroo and shuffled after him.

“He likes it, but it’s more because he hasn’t seen Yaku in two weeks since they’ve been so consumed with volleyball and schoolwork.”

“Aw poor little guy.”

Daichi glanced over his shoulder at Kuroo, and he startled, realizing that he hadn’t moved forward as he stared at Daichi’s retreating ass. He ran to catch up, shaking his head to dispel the strange course his thoughts had taken.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Daichi asked once he joined them.

“Yeah, is it warm in here to you guys?”

“I feel fine, but you’re wearing that jacket. You’ll feel better once we get outside.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? You’re just wearing that shirt.”

“I’ll be alright, but if I get too cold, I’ll just wrap myself around you and steal all your body heat like you do to me,” He answered with a smug grin, his eyes twinkling with mirth. Kuroo released a goofy laugh, feeling suddenly bashful.

“Okay.”

Daichi peered at him suspiciously, but his attention was torn away as he had to focus on getting down the stairs. Once they emerged from their dorm, Kuroo felt infinitely better out in the cool air, relieved that he probably wasn’t coming down with anything. That was the last thing he needed since it had only been a few weeks since Bokuto had been sick.

They joined up with Nishinoya and a few of their teammates, his brain experiencing a reprieve from focusing on Daichi’s new outfit and instead turned his attention to the obnoxious cheers their upperclassmen released as they paraded Bokuto down the street.

When they finally entered the club, they spotted Oikawa and Yaku where they were chatting by the bar. Oikawa perked up at their entrance and pranced toward them from the bar, a couple shot glasses sloshing in his hand.

“Happy birthday, Boku-chan!” He cheered with a dazzling smile, and Bokuto preened under the attention and eagerly swiped the shot glass from Oikawa’s outstretched hand.

“Thanks! You didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s my pleasure! It’s your birthday, so it’s your day to let loose and let everyone spoil you. Cheers!” He chirped as he and Bokuto clinked their glasses and threw them back with a rousing cheer from their teammates. Kuroo noticed Nishinoya had completely disappeared, and he glanced over his shoulder to find their Libero already at the bar and yanking Yaku off his stool toward the dance floor.

Kuroo smiled as Yaku tipped his head to nuzzle against Nishinoya’s, wrapping his arm around his shoulders as he allowed his boyfriend to lead him away. It was hard to believe he was the same person he met all those years ago, the pint-sized Libero who could kick anyone’s ass and had no issues making that fact known, though no one ever doubted how much he cared for his teammates. It made Kuroo obscenely happy to see his old friend in such a healthy relationship.

A strange feeling began to swirl in his stomach as he turned his gaze away from the amorous couple. It wasn’t so much jealousy, but it wasn’t too far off either. He’d been so concerned lately over his friends’ romances that he’d completely neglected his own love life. Kuroo had always been the type to face relationships with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, and it was usually being around someone interesting that would peak his interest in it. But now he felt a little different, seeing Yaku and Nishinoya’s confidence in one another, giggling over stupid things and competing playfully over anything they could. Since his own father wasn’t very active in his life after his parents’ messy divorce, Kuroo had barely any examples of what it looked like to be in a good relationship. If he could have something like what Yaku had, however, he would give anything to have it.

Once again, he shook his head, focusing instead on Bokuto as he told Oikawa a ridiculous story about something that had happened at volleyball practice that week. Oikawa seemed enraptured with it until the end when he snorted unattractively. He covered his face, momentarily stunned that such a noise would come from _him_ , but it only seemed to make Bokuto laugh harder. Kuroo grinned as he watched the pair degenerated into a mess of giggles, and he jerked his head around to meet Daichi’s eye.

To his surprise, he wasn’t met with the usual look of disapproval. Instead, Daichi smiled warmly at the scene and shrugged once he met Kuroo’s gaze. He was dying to slip through the crowd of their friends to badger him further to see if he was actually coming around to the idea, but a gasp from Bokuto snatched his attention away.

Bokuto was staring over Kuroo’s shoulder toward the very end of the bar, his face etched with shock and hurt. Kuroo turned to see what he was looking at and froze, his mouth dropping open when he spotted Terushima sitting on another man’s lap, nibbling on his ear. It wasn’t just any man, either. It was Daishou Suguru, Kuroo’s archenemy from their high school volleyball days. He had heard a rumor that his long-term girlfriend Mika had finally dumped him for good, but he never would have expected him to choose Terushima of all people as his rebound.

The pair appeared positively sinful, each with a smirk playing on their lips as they snuck several teasing kisses despite being in public. The club itself was dark as cool multi-colored lights fluttered across the walls, but at that moment all Kuroo could see was red. He took a deep breath to contain his anger, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped. How dare he show up on Bokuto’s birthday draped around some asshole, the _worst_ asshole, and look like he was enjoying himself.

“Is that who I think it is?” Oikawa asked cautiously, and Kuroo turned his back on the pair to nod.

“Yeah, the blonde bastard.”

“It’s fine,” Bokuto said, his lips pressed tight together. Most of their team had already wandered off to flood the dance floor or the bar, but Daichi remained as he slid closer and wrapped his hand around Bokuto’s arm. His eyes shot to Kuroo, looking more concerned about him than he was Bokuto.

“Come on, let’s go somewhere else,” He said, glancing around at the rest of the club as Oikawa nodded his agreement.

“Sure, I just… I need to say something to him.”

“No, Kuroo, it’s not worth it,” Bokuto said, reaching out to stop him but Kuroo was too quick and stepped out of his reach.

“It’s fine, I won’t make a scene,” Kuroo assured them, but by his icy tone, it didn’t look like he convinced any of them. Before anyone else could protest, he crossed over the lobby toward the bar, making it in a few steps with his long strides.

Terushima noticed him first, straightening up rigidly as he watched him approach. When Kuroo caught Daishou’s eye, they both narrowed their eyes at each other and scrunched up their noses as if the other one smelled bad.

“Well, well, don’t you two look cozy?” Kuroo sneered, and Terushima cocked his head in confusion as he glanced between them.

“Do you two know each other?”

“Yup!” Daishou answered, tightening his grip around Terushima’s waist. “We were rivals in high school. What the hell do you want, Kuroo?”

“Listen, I won’t take up much more of your time. It’s just that it’s Bokuto’s birthday, and we've finally been able to cheer him up after you rejected him. The last thing he needs to see is you two making out over here and being gross.”

Daishou stared at him incredulously and took a deep breath to snap back at him. Terushima’s fingers pressed against his mouth to keep him from it, however, as he gave Kuroo a cold gaze.

“I’m sorry, Kuroo-san, but that’s not my problem. Suguru and I were here first, and it’s a public club.”

“Seriously? Well maybe I should--”

“Helloooooo!” Oikawa sang loudly as he shoved himself between Kuroo and the couple. “Lovely to meet you both, but I’m just going to take him out of here. Enjoy your evening!”

With his movie-star smile pasted on his face, he shoved Kuroo toward the dance floor with unnecessary force.

“Ouch! What’s that for?”

“What’s wrong with you! As if seeing them was bad enough for Bokuto, he doesn’t need you getting into a petty fight over it. Just dance with me, Idiot,” Oikawa hissed as he began to move to the beat, gripping Kuroo’s arms to force him to sway as well. Kuroo exhaled a heavy breath upward, causing the tuft of hair above his eye to float up for a moment.

“I’m not an idiot.”

Oikawa’s face softened at his petulant tone and snickered. It melted Kuroo’s momentary rage into shame and took several deep breaths to shake himself out of it.

“Sorry.”

“I don’t think I’m the one you should be apologizing to. Bokuto looked pretty upset when you walked over there.”

Kuroo groaned and buried his face in his hands.

“Shit. Why am I dancing when I should be with him, keeping him happy?”

“Hmmm, well maybe you’re not the only one capable of cheering him up. Take a look,” Oikawa said, his voice light with amusement. Kuroo raised his face and glanced in the direction Oikawa was pointing. He spotted Bokuto immediately, dancing enthusiastically as if nothing was wrong. For a moment, Kuroo was thoroughly confused until his eyes caught sight of Bokuto’s dance partner and he jaw dropped to the floor.

Sawamura Daichi, a self-proclaimed hater of all things associated with dancing, was laughing with Bokuto as his body moved to the beat. The dark shirt he was wearing stretched precariously across his back, but he hardly seemed concerned as he pumped his arms into the air. Kuroo gaped as his eyes drifted down to Daichi’s waist where they swayed in perfect rhythm in a way that shouldn’t have been possible.

“Whaaaaaaat the hell?” He murmured as he craned his neck around to continue watching since several dancers began blocking his view. He was dumbfounded at how comfortable Daichi looked dancing when he had fought against the idea for so long. Not only that, but he was _good_. So good Kuroo couldn’t tear his eyes away until he heard Oikawa giggling like a little girl beside him.

“Whatcha looking at?” He purred in his ear, and Kuroo flinched away and glared at the way his friend was sneering at him.

“I’m looking at Sawamura, of course. Do you see him?”

“Mmmhmmm, I certainly do!”

“I thought the reason he didn’t want to dance was that he danced like a robot or something. Look at his hips! It looks like they’re on springs! It’s, uh, really impressive...” Kuroo trailed off as Daichi spun around slowly. He looked completely at ease with his eyes closed, his head bobbing up and down with the music. Kuroo’s lips turned up in a smile, still not realizing that he had completely stopped dancing himself to stare at Daichi. Warmth spread through his chest at seeing Daichi having so much fun while letting loose. Yet a flicker of irritation sparked through his veins that he was so far away and not with him.

Oikawa’s finger poked his side, jerking him out of his reverie with a yelp. His _friend_ stifled a snort and gestured toward Bokuto and Daichi with a nod.

“The song’s about done, let’s join them.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Kuroo said, wasting no time slipping through the crowd to corner his friend who had been holding out on him.

Daichi had his ear pointing toward Bokuto, who was saying something over the music and laughed. He leaned back to say something when he caught sight of Kuroo. His eyes widened, and his smile slid off, and for a moment Kuroo couldn’t breathe from the pain that gripped his chest because of it. Daichi looked around nervously as if looking for an escape, but Kuroo didn’t give him a chance as he rushed up to him and slid his hands onto the hips he had been admiring from afar.

“Going somewhere, Sawamura?” He purred, his grin dripping with evil intentions as he hovered over Daichi.

“Uh, no, it was just one dance, to distract Bokuto. Now that you’re here, I think I’ll go hang out at the b--”’

“Oooooh no you don’t,” Kuroo chuckled as a new song began to pump through the speakers. Bokuto glanced back and forth between them in confusion until Oikawa slid his hand into one of his.

“Come on, Boku-chan! Let me see what you’ve got, Big Boy,” He cooed, and Bokuto perked up and allowed himself to be led away.

“Why do you look so nervous? You looked fine when you were dancing a minute ago,” Kuroo said just loud enough for Daichi to hear, trying to mask his hurt with an exaggerated pout.

“I was faking it, for Bokuto,” Daichi stammered, still refusing to move to the music. His shoulders were even hunched to make him appear smaller, something he had never done around Kuroo in the entire length of their friendship. Something else was happening, something that Daichi seemed uncomfortable with Kuroo, and he wouldn’t stop until he found out what it was and annihilated it.

_Like hell, I’d let anything come between us._

“Are you really not going to dance with me? You genuinely looked like you were having fun.”

At last, Daichi huffed out a laugh, shaking his head as he accepted his fate.

“I like dancing, I lied when I said I hated it because Suga and Asahi always teased me about how absorbed I get. I knew if you saw me dancing you’d never stop making fun of me.”

Kuroo sighed, feeling a wave of relief that it was only Daichi’s own self-consciousness that was keeping him from it. He started moving with the music, putting pressure on Daichi’s hips force him to move a little as well.

“I’m sorry you felt that way and held back. If I ever tease you about it, it’s only because I like watching you dance. I’m actually impressed.”

His words seemed to crack Daichi’s defenses as his lips curled up in a shy smile, and his hips offered less resistance to Kuroo’s urging.

“Really? You like my dancing?” He asked as he gazed up at him hopefully, and Kuroo fought off the urge to wrap him up in a tight hug. If he’d known how cute Daichi’s reaction was when he was complimented, he would have been lavishing him with attention instead of constantly teasing him.

“ _Liking_ might be a bit of an understatement,” He purred, leaning his head down further to bask in Daichi’s beaming smile. Without saying anything else, Daichi finally began to move with the music, lifting and dropping his hips despite Kuroo’s hands still being on them. His dark eyes held Kuroo’s like a tractor beam. As the lights flickered beams of purples and blues across them, it seemed like entire galaxies could be seen in the depths of his irises.

Daichi’s apprehension melted with every sway of his body, his smile confident as eased closer into Kuroo’s hold. Kuroo had no clue if the thrumming in his body was from the bass of the song or the racing of his own heart as he allowed himself to be swept away at Daichi’s pace. He sucked in a quick breath whenever their bodies grazed each other, and from the way Daichi’s lips quirked higher, he had a feeling he was doing it on purpose.

_You always were a crafty guy_ , Kuroo thought, though the reminder was anything but unpleasant. His fingers stretched across Daichi’s waist and slid further back, pinching them into Daichi’s skin and yanking him forward. The flicker of surprise on Daichi’s face made it worth it, and he cackled up toward the ceiling at his triumph.

A warm hand encased the back of his neck, pulling his attention down to a pair of magnetic eyes. Daichi’s challenging grin was back in place as he unabashedly danced up against Kuroo. Heat flooded his body and surged to the area where their bodies touched, and Kuroo wasn’t sure if he could have remembered his own name at that moment.

“Don’t underestimate me,” Daichi murmured, finishing with a chuckle as he turned his gaze away and glanced around at the dancers swarming around them. Kuroo narrowed his eyes and slipped a hand up from his waist to his dimpled cheek, forcing Daichi’s gaze back up to him. He half expected Daichi to pull away from the intimate touch, but after a brief flicker of surprise he seemed to melt into Kuroo’s hand and stared expectantly up at him.

“Never,” He whispered back, seeing his breath flutter across Daichi’s hair as he eased his face closer. There were no thoughts in his mind of how it was wrong for their bodies to be so close, how he should pull away and dance in a way more appropriate for friends. It felt natural to hold Daichi, to feel the muscles of his lower back underneath his palm. The heat from his body seeping into his own was comfortable and exciting at the same time. He liked the way his fingers looked as they grazed over the old scar on Daichi’s cheek and how soft his hair was as his hand slid around to cradle the back of his head.

Daichi offered no resistance as Kuroo eased his face closer until their foreheads bumped gently. They laughed softly, sharing a private joke though Kuroo had no idea what it was. All he knew was that he wanted to remove any space between them, pin Daichi up against a wall and press their bodies together. Daichi closed his eyes as his other hand gripped into Kuroo’s shirt, his fingers scraping across the sensitive skin of Kuroo’s lower stomach. Kuroo ached to press kisses all over Daichi’s face before nestling against his full lips, and he flicked his tongue over his own in preparation of doing just that.

“Hey, hey! What’re you guys doing all the way over here?” Bokuto’s loud voice jarred them awake, Kuroo’s heart racing painfully as he and Daichi stepped away from each other. They blinked around in confusion, slowly coming back to reality as they realized they had moved to the very outer edge of the dance floor.

“Uh, I don’t know. I think we lost track,” Kuroo chuckled awkwardly as Bokuto bounded to their side. Oikawa was right behind him, gazing at Kuroo in a way that felt like he was an amusing science experiment, spread out across a stainless-steel table with all his secrets exposed.

“I thought we could get some more drinks! You guys down?” Bokuto asked, his cheeks flushed from dancing and his body bouncing with energy. Daichi nodded, still inhaling deeply from his shock with his hand pressed against his chest, looking everywhere but at Kuroo.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I’m definitely thirsty.”

“Obviously,” Oikawa said quietly with a smirk, just loud enough that Kuroo was the only one to hear. The smirk faded into a frown, however, since the brunette seemed to have a lot on his mind, and he reached out to tug on Bokuto’s sleeve before he rushed off toward the bar. “Listen, I have to go, I’m sorry, Boku-chan.”

“Oh, sure. You okay?”

“Yes, it’s just… there’s something I need to take care of. Happy birthday,” He said as he leaned forward and planted a light kiss on Bokuto’s cheek. Together they all weaved through the crowded dance floor until they finally reached the edge. Bokuto wrapped an arm around Daichi and shuffled him straight to the bar, but Kuroo held back to tap Oikawa’s shoulder.

“Hey, you sure you’re alright?”

Oikawa snapped out of his thoughts and blinked at him. A small smile spread across his face, an honest one for once, and he nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine. At least I hope I will be. I think I finally came to terms with something, and I think I have you to thank for it.”

“Me? What did I do?”

Oikawa laughed and looked back at Daichi as he settled on a bar stool.

“You and Sawamura-kun, it was nice watching you two dance. You’re very close, and it just reminded me of something… Anyway, have a good night!” He chirped, and with a wink, he spun on his heel and rushed out the door of the club before Kuroo could ask him anything else.

Kuroo stared after him in, insatiably curious about what he was about to do. If he didn’t know any better, he would have said Oikawa looked nervous. But he knew it was none of his business, and with a shrug, he turned back to his friends and wandered toward the empty stool next to Daichi. Without even thinking, he pressed his hand into Daichi’s back, leaving it there even as he sat down. Daichi paused mid-sentence at the touch, immediately leaning into it and turning to include Kuroo in the conversation.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I think so. Oikawa’s a really weird guy, don’t you think?”

An amused smile spread across Daichi’s face as he arched an eyebrow.

“A bit, though it doesn’t mean much coming from you.”

Kuroo gasped as Bokuto laughed loudly on the other side of Daichi.

“Sorry, Dude, but he’s got a point.”

“Really? After everything I’ve done for you?” Kuroo asked, laying a hand against his chest. Daichi gave him a withering look as his fingers slid over the frosted glass the bartender just placed in front of him.

“Should we honestly review everything you’ve done for Bokuto lately? It might not end up in your favor.”

Kuroo narrowed his eyes as he leaned toward Daichi, moving his hand back to the counter to graze onto Daichi’s fingers. He relished in the way the contact wiped the expression off Daichi’s face as his lips parted with a quick intake of breath.

“Why do you always have to paint me as the bad guy, Sa’amura?” He purred as he lifted Daichi’s hand in his own with the glass still encased in his fingers and leaned forward to take a sip. Daichi’s eyes fluttered, and even in the dim light, Kuroo could have sworn his cheeks were flushed.

“Gee, I wonder why,” Daichi responded once his brain seemed to function again, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe you should get your own drink. Or, as a gentleman, you could buy me one too to compensate for this one.”

“That’s a shame, I like taking yours. But I understand your point,” He chuckled, leaning back to give Daichi a little space as he flagged down the bartender. He didn’t know what had come over him, but the entire evening he felt a need to be as close as possible to Daichi. It was a strange possessiveness that he rarely experienced, and he wanted to figure it out as soon as possible. He felt a painful jab whenever Bokuto forced Daichi’s attention on him, and he had to check himself before he did or said something stupid to take it back. It was Bokuto’s birthday, after all, and the poor guy was just feeling himself again.

Thankfully, they were swarmed by their teammates, all offering to get Bokuto as drunk as they could on his special day, and he no longer felt the need to compete over Daichi. Nishinoya tried to sneak his way in to do some shots with them, but Yaku quickly grappled him and tugged him away to protect him from the influence of his upperclassmen. Daichi laughed in his palm and turned in his seat to share a look with Kuroo, and he felt all his apprehension melt away. He grinned back and stretched his legs out to envelop Daichi’s legs and the stool’s, leaning forward as he did so.

“I think this is the most entertainment we’ve had all year.”

“Yeah,” Daichi chuckled, hunching the shoulder closest to Kuroo, seeming strangely shy. He looked down and frowned at the way he was trapped by Kuroo’s legs. “I am deeply offended by how long those sticks are. I think it’s completely unnecessary.”

“Oh? I think they’re rather useful,” He teased, hooking his feet around the legs of Daichi’s stool and yanking it towards him. Daichi yelped and gripped onto the counter as Kuroo cackled obnoxiously. He laughed even harder when Daichi turned his lethal scowl toward him like he was about to bite his head off. His impending doom was interrupted, however, when Daichi’s phone _pinged_.

He slipped it out of his pocket, not noticing the way Kuroo’s eyes seemed to linger on his thigh. Kuroo tore his gaze upward when Daichi was eerily silent and found him gaping at his phone in disbelief.

“What is it?” Kuroo asked eagerly, leaning closer to glance at the screen. Daichi snorted as he hid the screen against his chest and shook his head.

“Uh, it’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

“Okay, it’s definitely something, and definitely none of your business,” Daichi laughed as he slipped the phone back in his pocket.

“You’re not even going to give me a hint?”

Daichi lifted his glass to take a sip, pausing to run his tongue over his smirking lips before tipping the glass against them. Kuroo lost his train of thought completely as he stared, feeling jealous of the tongue, lips, and glass at the same time.

“I’ll give you one hint,” Daichi said as he set his glass down, jarring Kuroo from his thoughts. “Let’s just say I’m stuck here for at least another forty-five minutes.”

“That… tells me nothing.”

“Hmm, and I thought you were so clever,” Daichi said in a low voice that sent shivers down his spine. Kuroo grinned and leaned toward him, desperately searching for a retort to snag Daichi in a verbal tug-of-war when a tray of shots slammed down in front of them and Bokuto’s flushed face appeared beside them.

“Come on, guys! You’re falling behind!”

Daichi cringed as he lurched back on his stool and held his hands up.

“Uh, I’ll pass. I need to make sure you all get home safely.”

“Boo, Sawamura! Don’t be boring!”

“I’ll take boring over vomiting any day.”

“What about you, Kuroo?!”

“You know, I’m actually on Sawamura’s side for once. Besides, who’s going to take care of your sloppy ass tomorrow if I’m just as sloppy?”

“Oh! Fair point.”

He snatched the tray away and challenged his upperclassmen for another round. Daichi turned back to Kuroo, eyeing him with concern.

“It’s okay if you wanted to let loose. I could take care of both of you tomorrow.”

“Hmm, I like the sound of that,” Kuroo purred, feeling warm at the thought of Daichi taking care of him all day. “Of course, I’d rather not share the attention.”

Daichi laughed and gave the hair spilling over his eye a light tug.

“You’re so spoiled.”

“Only with you, I think.”

Daichi’s smile slipped a little as he gazed at Kuroo, deep in thought. He had given that expression several times that night, and Kuroo desperately wanted to enter his mind and discover what he was thinking about. It was one of many things Kuroo had desired to do to Daichi that night, each one as blush-worthy as the next. He had very little time to dwell on it as Bokuto and their teammates pulled them into their group and held their attention for the rest of the evening.

It was quite late when Kuroo and Daichi finally escaped their upperclassmen and draped a staggering Bokuto over their shoulders to go home. Bokuto was always an entertaining drunk, boisterously happy and ridiculous. Kuroo almost felt drunk himself as he cackled at Bokuto’s antics as Daichi struggled to keep ahold of him, all while trying to contain his own sputtering laughter at the same time. They cursed the fact that their dorm had no elevator as Bokuto stumbled his way up the staircase, but somehow, they made it to their floor unscathed.

“Do you need me to help you get him in bed?” Daichi asked, wheezing as Bokuto hugged his neck closer and smacked a loud kiss against his forehead. Kuroo giggled, wondering how many kisses he’ll be subjected to considering Bokuto had planted one on everyone’s head at least once throughout the night.

“Nah, I can handle him. You go and get some sleep.”

“You too. Um, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” Daichi asked as he unraveled Bokuto’s arm from his neck and gazed at Kuroo. He looked different under the glare of yellow lights in the hall instead of the exotic lights of the club, though just as appealing. He could finally see the depths of his brown eyes, warm like embers in a campfire and so adorably hopeful he could have asked Kuroo for anything and he would have given it to him.

“Of course! Just text me when you’re up, and we’ll, uh, hang out,” Kuroo said, feeling his mood plummet suddenly as Daichi smiled and turned to unlock the door. He didn’t want to wait until tomorrow. He wanted to grab onto Daichi and pull him into his own room to keep him for himself.

When he still hadn’t moved away, Daichi cocked his head at him and raised his eyebrows.

“Good night?”

“Oh, yeah, good night… Sawamura.”

Bokuto mumbled something as his head buried into Kuroo’s shoulder, and with an eye roll Kuroo tightened his grip and lugged him down the hall to his room. Behind him, he heard a knock on a door, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Daichi waiting until he heard a call from within before entering.

_That’s weird_ , He thought, but he focused instead on the heavy drunk in his arms, so he wouldn’t drop him on the worn-out carpet of the hallway. By the time he dragged him into their dorm room, Kuroo’s muscles were screaming and he just enough strength left to toss Bokuto onto his bed. It was only then he was able to remove both their shoes and toss them at the door.

Bokuto’s golden eyes blinked owlishly at him as Kuroo draped the comforter over him, and he yawned with a sleepy grin.

“Thanks, Kuroo.”

“My pleasure. Did you have fun tonight?”

“Yeah, it was the best.”

Kuroo chuckled and fluffed his hair with his fingers. Bokuto closed his eyes with a sigh, his deep breaths changing into snores within a minute or two. Kuroo shrugged off most of his clothes and turned out the light before slipping into bed himself.

It was there in the darkness of the room that Kuroo felt the gripping ache in his chest and rubbed his palm over it, knowing that wouldn’t be enough to relieve it. He wasn’t even sure what happened, why all he could think about was Daichi, how all night he couldn’t keep his hands off him. Was that different than usual? The more he thought about it, Kuroo had never been very handsy with his friends until he met Sawamura. He was also independent and strong-willed, so why did he yearn to be spoiled whenever he was around him?

Kuroo was certain he wouldn’t find answers that night to the questions rolling around in his head. He shuffled around in bed and took deep breaths, trying to expel all the thoughts from his head so he could get some rest. He wanted to believe that in the morning everything would go back to normal, but he had the feeling that it wasn’t possible. Not when his body ached to have Daichi lying next to him, snuggled in his arms where he belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooh we've got some progress! I'm excited to hear what you all think of this chapter. It's been rolling around in my head since I've started the story, so I'm really happy to finally share it with all of you :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo has a very bad day :(

Kuroo wasn’t sure when he finally fell asleep, or how long he had been asleep when he felt his mattress dip with an added weight. He craned his head up and fluttered his eyes open to see a massive hump under his blanket moving toward him. He was instantly awake with the knowledge that someone else was in his bed, but the fear kept him frozen in place until a face emerged at the top of his blanket. His entire body relaxed as he watched Daichi’s brown eyes blink at him and an impish grin slide into place.

“Sawamura, what are you doing here?” He whispered as Daichi slid out even further, resting his whole weight against Kuroo. Heat flooded Kuroo’s face at the intimacy of the situation, his heart slamming against his chest and yet no part of him wanted to escape it. Daichi hovered his face over Kuroo’s and put a finger up to his lips.

“Shh, we don’t want to wake Bokuto.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”

“Why do you think?” Daichi said as he huffed out a laugh. His hands cradled Kuroo’s neck and gazed down at him as if he was the most priceless treasure in the world. Kuroo’s breath shuddered, hot tears prickling the corners of his eyes. It was overwhelming, basking in such an expression of love, feeling undeserving as much as he yearned for it.

“I-I don’t know. I feel like such an idiot, paying attention to everyone else and not even seeing what could happen between us. Is something happening between us?”

“Do you want something to happen?” Daichi asked, and Kuroo frowned at his expression of amusement.

“Really? You’re going to tease me at a time like this?”

“Isn’t this a perfect moment for teasing?” Daichi asked, his voice low and rumbling, sending vibrations up through Kuroo’s torso. The temperature was so sweltering he felt like he was locked in a sauna, and he wiggled underneath Daichi as he struggled to breathe.

“Aren’t you hot?” He asked, and Daichi’s eyebrows raised as his grin widened.

“I am. Don’t you think so?” He said as he ran his tongue over his lips and straightened up. Kuroo’s jaw dropped open as Daichi’s hands crossed down to the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. Though Daichi looked dry and comfortable before, suddenly his skin was dappled with sweat, his hair damp with droplets skimming down his face. His smirk held sinful intentions as he flicked his shirt onto the floor and rolled his pelvis onto Kuroo’s.

Kuroo squeezed his eyes shut as a moan ripped through his throat, and when he opened his eyes the entire room looked different. No longer in his tiny shared dorm room, they were laying on a plush bed with red satin sheets. They were surrounded with romantic candles and above them hung wisps of gossamer curtains, but Kuroo hardly cared about the change in decorations when Daichi hovered over him with hunger in his eyes.

“S-Sawamura, wait. Isn’t this going too fast?”

Daichi cocked his head, his grin slipping away as his forehead creased in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

Kuroo gulped and placed his hands on Daichi’s broad shoulders, pushing him upward as he straightened as well.

 _Damn, he looks so good_ , Kuroo thought as he dropped his hands and let them fall on the mattress beside him, instead of to Daichi’s waist like his hands were itching to.

“What I mean is that you and I have been friends for a long time. This is all so new.”

“It’s not new.”

“Huh?” Kuroo asked, and Daichi sighed as he ran a hand through Kuroo’s damp hair. He couldn’t resist leaning into the touch and felt his heart drop as Daichi smiled weakly.

“None of this is new, you’ve just been too distracted. Ever since we’ve met, our lives have been intertwining. Our relationship has long since passed the normal bounds of friendship. Think about it, Kuroo, how often you touch me,” He said as he reached down and skimmed his fingertips over the back of Kuroo’s hands. Instinctively Kuroo turned them and threaded his fingers into Daichi’s. “Is this what _friends_ do?” Daichi asked, raising their hands to his face and kissing Kuroo’s fingers. Kuroo gasped as his lips pressed lightly against his knuckles, his hot breath skimming across his sensitive skin.

“You may have a point there.”

“And it’s not just that. Touching’s just the tip of the iceberg. Real love grows over time, and your love for me is an overgrown jungle. Are you going to neglect it, Kuroo?”

“No! I just, I never thought about it before. It’s going to take some time.”

Daichi froze, hurt flickering in his eyes as he lowered Kuroo’s hands and let them slip from his hands.

“Do what you need to, but it might be too late.”

“What? Why would it be too late?” Kuroo asked but as he blinked his eyes, Daichi was no longer there. He jerked his head around, realizing he was back in his dorm and Bokuto was snoring across the room. Despite Daichi no longer being on top of him, it was still roasting, and his heart was racing as he looked around for him.

“Sawamura? Where are you?” He asked, speaking louder than a whisper as panic set in. “Bo? Bokuto, wake up.”

A loud yawn answered him as Bokuto sat up groggily and wiped his face.

“What is it? Did I sleep in?”

“No, where’s Sawamura?”

“Sawa-who?”

“ _Sawamura Daichi_ , where is he? He was just here.”

“Dude, I have no idea who that is. Go back to sleep.”

“What are you talking about? He’s one of our best friends! He’s on our volleyball team.”

“Sure, whatever you say,” Bokuto groaned as he fell back onto his pillow and was snoring a moment later.

Kuroo clicked his tongue and reached for his phone, scrolling through his contacts and not finding Daichi’s name anywhere. He checked two more times as his chest heaved, sweat pouring down his face. _Where did he go?! He can’t just disappear! It’s not fair, I never had the chance to tell him…_

The dark room was growing brighter and with a flash, Kuroo startled awake. He thrashed in the twisted covers that had wrapped around him like a python, damp from the sweat dripping off his skin. With a jerk, he fell off his bed and face-planted onto the carpet, but at least his blanket was looser, and he could wiggle his way out of them.

He sat up on the floor, wiping his damp forehead as he took in his surroundings. He was in his dorm and it seemed to be morning though too early to be up on a weekend. Kuroo slid his feet toward him and wrapped his arms around his legs, dropping his head to his knees to slow his heart rate.

_It’s okay… just a dream… it was just a--_

He gasped and lunged up for his phone. He had some notifications but ignored them as he opened it up and scrolled through his contact list. Near the top, just under his Mom and Kenma was Sawamura Daichi, and with a dramatic groan, he fell back on the floor, his grip on his phone going slack.

He laid spread out on the floor for several minutes, allowing his body and mind to calm down. His skin was still damp and steaming hot from being tied up in his sheets, and he knew going back to sleep after that nightmare wasn’t an option. So, he forced himself to his feet and gathered his towel and shower kit to rinse off.

Bokuto was still gone from the world when Kuroo slipped out of their room and wandered down the hall toward the bathroom. It was completely empty, being so early on a Saturday morning. He yanked on the knob on the tiled wall, releasing a stream of cold water and submerged himself underneath. He shivered, goosebumps fluttering over his skin, but he kept the water cool as he relished the solitude, so he could collect his thoughts.

It may have been just a dream, but it was so real he swore he knew what Daichi’s skin felt like under his fingertips. Even when he was on his lap and hovering over him, he could smell the musky forest scent of the soap he always uses. Kuroo smoothed his hair back on his head, gasping with the realization that he already knew those things. Like Dream Daichi said, Kuroo can never resist touching him, and has, on occasion, slipped his hands underneath his shirt to tickle his sensitive sides. Inhaling Daichi’s scent has become almost second nature with how often he tucked his face in the crook of his neck and dozed off.

Was it possible, however, that all those feelings were still just a deep friendship? Kuroo’s mind flashed back to the way they danced at the club the previous night, their bodies rubbing together and Kuroo’s mind consumed with the desire to kiss him. Even under the frigid stream of water, Kuroo felt his cheeks burst into flames. He buried his face in his palms and groaned.

_I’m totally fucked._

He rushed through the rest of his shower, not wanting to spend another moment dwelling on his newly discovered feelings for his friend. He didn’t want to deal with the terror of admitting it to Daichi and risking the incredible friendship they had, but he knew he would have to soon.

_It might be too late._

Kuroo shook off Daichi’s haunting words and shut the water off. He ran his towel over his limbs quickly and threw on his clothes even though he wasn’t entirely dry. Rushing back to his room, he was relieved that Bokuto was wide awake, crunching on cereal as he watched a show on his laptop.

“Hey! You’re up early!” He mumbled, grinning around his full mouth. Kuroo laughed and rolled his eyes; it was just like Bokuto to be bright-eyed without any sign of a hangover even after the night he had.

“Yeah, I had a weird dream. You?”

“I had a great dream! I think my body was just ready to get up. Listen, thanks for last night. I had an awesome time, the best birthday I’ve had in a while.”

“That’s great! But hey, it’s not over yet. We’re doing karaoke tonight and then everyone’s coming over for a movie, remember?”

“Oh yeah, that should be fun!”

Kuroo chuckled and swiped his hand through Bokuto’s rumpled hair before dropping himself on his own bed.

“I’m relieved you had such a good time last night. I was worried when we spotted Terushima there.”

“Nah, don’t worry. I’m pretty over him.”

“Really? That’s great!”

“Yeah, well seeing him with Daishou was pretty gross. And thinking about it, I know I can do better than him.”

“Damn right, you can!” Kuroo encouraged him, feeling his mood skyrocket with Bokuto’s newfound positivity. Bokuto pursed his lips as he stirred his cereal absentmindedly.

“Um, I think it’s mostly because… I found someone new.”

Kuroo stared at him in shock for a moment before snapping his body up and sitting forward eagerly. _Yes! I can’t believe he’s interested in Oikawa already._

“That’s great! How did it happen?”

Bokuto set his nearly empty bowl on a table and wiggled in his seat, his cheeks flushing bright with excitement.

“Well, it’s kind of crazy and unexpected. I seriously wasn’t planning on feeling this way.”

“That’s how it works sometimes! Tell me about it.”

“For the entire time I’ve known him, I never would have considered him romantically. But it was little things he did that captured my attention. Words of encouragement…”

Kuroo nodded as he remembered Oikawa’s sugary words as he complimented Bokuto’s body and fashion sense on all their shopping trips.

“And soon I realized how good looking he was, like how did I miss that?”

Kuroo chuckled; of course, Bokuto missed something as obvious as Oikawa’s handsome features.

“I think I really knew when we danced together last night. Something magical was happening, and before I knew it, I was hooked.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Kuroo murmured, his gaze drifting off as he remembered Daichi’s bottomless eyes, his challenging grin, the raging desire to kiss his full lips.

“So, do you think you can help me ask Sawamura out?”

“Oh, sure Buddy! When did you want to-- _what did you just say?_ ”

“Sawamura. He’s the person I’m interested in, did you not figure it out?”

Kuroo stared at him, hardly blinking as he processed Bokuto’s words.

“Wait, I thought you were talking about Oikawa.”

Bokuto snorted and laughed as if Kuroo had just told him a joke. Kuroo couldn’t find it in him to smile back as ice spread through his chest.

“That’s hilarious, Dude. I mean, yeah Oikawa’s hot and fun, but how can he compare to Sawamura?”

“Yeah, um, sorry, I’m just confused. You like Sawamura… since when?”

“Well, it started a few weeks back I think. He helped me realize that I was fine on my own, that I didn’t need to be in a relationship with anyone to feel worthwhile. Just, his smile and honest words were everything I needed.”

“Listen, I don’t want to tear you down when you’re so excited about this, but I just don’t want to see you heartbroken again. You only just got over Terushima, you need to be sure if Sawamura likes you back before falling for him.”

“Oh, I am!” Bokuto said, nodding emphatically.

“You’re what?”

“Sure he likes me back.”

The ice in Kuroo’s chest spread down to his stomach, and he wondered if it was enough to keep him from throwing up.

“He likes you back? You’re certain, how?”

“Like I said, I’ve had little hints here and there over the last few weeks. He’s always so gentle with me and caring.”

 _No…. no, no, no, he’s gentle with me. It’s me he cares about,_ Kuroo thought as a whimper slipped through his throat, but Bokuto didn’t hear it.

“I learned from the last time though and tried to hold my feelings off till I knew for certain. But everything became clear to me last night at the club when he asked me to dance.”

Kuroo buried his face in his hand to hide his dismayed expression from Bokuto. He could hardly breathe, each intake of air felt like needles prickling against his lungs. His mind flashed back to the moment he saw Daichi dancing with Bokuto, but he hardly even remembered Bokuto being there. All he had seen was Daichi, moving to the music with a smile of pure happiness on his face, laughing at something Bokuto had said… _Shit._

“I mean, think about how many times you tried to get him to dance and he always refused! That’s why I was so surprised when he asked me if I wanted to, it made me feel special, you know? Dude are you okay?” Bokuto asked, but Kuroo refused to reveal his face as he squeezed his eyes shut as tears began slipping out.

“Uh, yeah, sorry. I think I have something in my eye,” He said, trying to keep his voice even as he smoothed his thumb over his cheeks. “Sorry, I’ll be back. I’m going to take a look in the bathroom.”

“But, we have a mirror in here,” Bokuto said but Kuroo’s feet were already slipping into his shoes and the next moment he flew out the door, slamming it shut behind him. He wiped his face on his arm as he rushed toward the bathroom but slowed as he neared the door. His thoughts were vicious as they ripped through his mind, flipping everything he had just come to terms with on its head.

 _It’s too late_.

He gulped and forced deep breaths into his lungs no matter how painful it felt. He stopped and leaned against the wall, letting the silence of the hallway press down on him. His fingers kneaded against his throbbing temples as he replayed every memory from last night, but it was hardly any use. Like before, his vision was saturated with Daichi alone since he seemed to ignore everyone else’s presence. He wished he had paid closer attention, but could he have prevented Bokuto and Daichi falling for each other?

As he began to calm down and think the situation through more rationally, he realized that the discrepancy occurring was only from the perspective of Bokuto and himself. There was one more person involved, and with a flicker of hope Kuroo lifted himself off the wall and ran down the hall. Forgetting about the early hour, he knocked against the door and bounced on his toes. Because of the circumstances, he knew he would have to restrain himself from tackling Daichi when he opened the door to not complicate things further. _To hell with that_ , he thought, his heart racing as he heard faint voices on the other side and someone shuffling to the door. He took a deep breath, ready to pounce as the door swung open and screamed when he saw who was standing there.

“Good morning, Kuroo-chan!” Oikawa sang, posing provocatively in the doorway wearing nothing but a pair of tight boxer briefs.

“What the hell are you doing here?! I swear, Oikawa, if you slept with Sawamura I swear I’m gonna--”

“Oooooooh, what will you do? Would you like to know the sinful things he did to my body last night?” Oikawa purred, and for a moment Kuroo really thought about killing him.

“Tooru, that’s enough,” A deep voice from further in said and a moment later Matsukawa slid next to him, thankfully wearing lounge pants, and shoved a T-shirt against his chest. “He may actually murder you, and I’d prefer that didn’t happen.”

Oikawa beamed up at him and leaned in, closing his eyes as their lips pressed together.

“Mmm, alright. I’ll be good,” Oikawa giggled and disappeared back into the dorm. Matsukawa leaned in the doorway, cocking an eyebrow as he folded his arms over his bare chest.

“You two?!”

“Yup”

“You two…Since when?”

Matsukawa sighed, running his hands through his messy hair, and for a moment Kuroo wasn’t sure he was going to answer.

“It’s complicated. We dated while we were in high school, but once we got into college I was too busy for a relationship. I thought it would be better for us to part ways, but it was a stupid idea. We were both miserable without each other, so last night he showed up and now we’re back together. Does that explain it?”

“.... You two?”

Matsukawa clicked his tongue and he reached out to flick his fingers against Kuroo’s forehead.

“What do you want, Kuroo? It’s a little early, don’t you think?”

“I know, I’m sorry about that. Can I just talk to Sawamura?”

“Nope.”

“It’s urgent.”

“Doesn’t matter, he’s not here.”

“What do you mean, where is he?”

“He’s on a train back to Miyagi.”

Kuroo groaned as he flopped against the wall and slid down to the floor, slamming his head back. He rubbed his aching chest, not sure how much more his heart could take that morning.

“Why is he going back to Miyagi?” He asked Matsukawa in a strained voice. The other man watched him closely from above, studying him with a flicker of sympathy.

“Apparently, his friend Sugawara was hounding him to visit since Azumane was going to be home. Initially, he wasn’t going to go because of Bokuto’s birthday, but I think Sugawara was finally able to convince him.”

“Why didn’t he tell me? He told me we were going to hang out today,” He asked in almost a whisper, not particularly at Matsukawa. A door opened down the hall, and Matsukawa glanced in the direction and opened the door up wider.

“Why don’t you give him a call? Get in here.”

Kuroo struggled to his feet and lumbered into the room, his whole body feeling numb. Oikawa was draped over Matsukawa’s bed, his long legs stretched out from underneath a T-shirt that he thought he’d seen Matsukawa wearing before. He didn’t have the mental capacity to work through _that_ development, however, as he fished his phone out of his pocket and located Daichi’s number. As it rang, he glanced over to see Matsukawa slip his hands under Oikawa’s legs and lift them enough to slide underneath. Even then, he didn’t remove them as his fingers grazed down Oikawa’s skin.

“ _Hello?_ ” Daichi’s voice said in his ear, and he felt his heart leap into his throat.

“Um, hey, it’s me,” Kuroo croaked out, rolling his eyes as his awkwardness. Feeling completely exposed as the couple watched him intently, he flopped onto Daichi’s bed and turned his face to the wall to escape their gaze.

“ _I’m about to get on the train, is everything alright? You don’t sound too good._ ”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” Kuroo asked after a moment, wondering where to even start.

“ _I did, I sent you a text first thing this morning. I would have called but I didn’t want to wake you guys up after the night we had._ ”

Kuroo blinked in surprise and vaguely remembered seeing notifications on his screen just before opening his phone first thing.

“Oh, I must have missed it.”

“ _I’m sorry it was so last minute. Can you apologize to Bokuto for me?_ ”

“Why would you need to apologize to him?” Kuroo asked, his voice coming out harsher than he meant to. He squeezed his eyes shut and smothered his face in the pillow, breathing in the soft scent of pine.

“ _Because I’m missing most of his birthday. Just tell him I’ll bring him back some treats. Are you sure you’re okay?_ ”

“I… I don’t know.”

“ _What’s going on? The train’s coming in, but I don’t have to get on it if you need me to stay._ ”

His mind was screaming for him to spit the words out. _Don’t go. Stay here. Tell me it’s not Bokuto you love._

“No, it’s fine. I’ll talk to you when you get back. When are you coming back?”

“ _My first class isn’t until the afternoon on Monday, so I’ll come back that morning_.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then. Have a safe trip, Sawamura.” _I’ll miss you_.

“ _Thanks, and if you need to talk you know you can call me_.”

“Yeah, bye.”

“ _Bye_.”

The line went dead, and Kuroo whimpered into the pillow.

“So… you wanna talk about it?” Matsukawa asked, and Kuroo growled in his throat, forgetting that he had an audience to his misery. He slid his face toward them and was amazed at the genuine concern they seemed to be expressing. With a sigh, he tore himself from the Daichi-scented pillow and sat up.

“Yeah, I do. But not with you, Eyebrows.”

Oikawa snorted at the nickname and yelped when Matsukawa pinched the underside of his thigh.

“Well, you do what you need to do. We’ll be here, but you may want to phone first before popping in.”

Kuroo huffed out a laugh as he stood and walked to the door.

“Definitely. I’ve had enough nightmares lately without adding to it a vision of you two getting freaky.” He reached for the knob but paused, glancing over his shoulder at the pair. “By the way, Oikawa… I’m glad you’re finally happy,” He said with a genuine smile. Oikawa pursed his lips as a blush crept across his cheeks and buried his face into Matsukawa’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Kuroo-chan,” He mumbled, and Matsukawa chuckled as he buried his hand in his brunette waves. They were a vision of a couple completely taken with each other, and Kuroo let himself out quietly so he wouldn’t disturb them further.

As the door clicked behind him, he glanced at his phone screen to check the time. Bokuto was probably wondering where he was, and he needed to go back. He needed to paste on a happy face and pretend everything was fine. Nothing could be known for certain until Daichi returned, so until then, he needed to be a good friend to Bokuto.

His feet felt like lead as he trudged down the hallway. He entered their room and Bokuto hardly turned his head as he laughed at his laptop screen.

“Where’d you go? You were gone forever!”

“Oh, I stopped by Sawamura’s room for something, but he left for Miyagi this morning.”

“I know, I saw his text after you left.”

Kuroo cringed; it was just another sign that he wasn’t any more special to Daichi than Bokuto was… possibly lower. Regardless, he checked his phone messages and sure enough, there was an unread text from Daichi, sent just before he had woken up that morning. Had he read it first before taking a shower, he probably could have caught him before he left.

“Yeah, I gave him a call. He said he’s sorry about missing some of your birthday celebrations, but he’s going to bring back some treats.”

“Nice!” Bokuto cheered, not taking his eyes from the screen. Kuroo scrunched up his nose and flopped onto his bed. He felt that Bokuto should have been at least a little upset that Daichi wasn’t there; He felt miserable after all. No matter what Daichi felt for Bokuto, it was obvious that Kuroo cared for him more.

The rest of the afternoon, Kuroo moped on his bed while Bokuto bounced from shows to video games, taking breaks only to eat something. He was in such a chipper mood he hardly noticed Kuroo’s silence and grumpy responses whenever he was asked something. Kuroo tried his hardest to shake his mood, especially since nothing could be solved at least until Monday when Daichi returned.

He was partially relieved when it came time to meet everyone for karaoke, knowing he could use the distraction and Bokuto could be surrounded by friends who weren’t thinking about stealing away the guy he liked. Unfortunately, most of their friends were rather perceptive and kept glancing in Kuroo’s direction whenever he failed to tease someone or join Bokuto in his antics. When Nishinoya joined Bokuto for an energetic pop song, Yaku climbed over the booth and settled next to Kuroo with a _look_.

“What?”

“What do you mean _what_? You look like someone died.”

“Nobody died.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I’m fine, just tired.”

“I’ve seen you tired. Usually, you get giggly and clingy whenever you’re tired. Or maybe that’s just when Sawamura’s around.” Yaku’s back went rigid as he said the last part and narrowed his eyes at Kuroo. “Is that it? Because Sawamura’s not here?”

“No,” Kuroo said with a little too much pout on his lips, and Yaku snorted into his hand.

“Wow, you’re so whipped.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, just talk to me.”

“No, I don’t want to. It’s Bokuto’s birthday, let’s just focus on him.”

“That’s a good idea if you can shake off your shitty mood.”

“Hmph.”

Yaku sighed and pulled out his phone, keeping it up so Kuroo couldn’t glance at what he was doing on the screen.

“I guess it’s time to pull out the big guns.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ll find out. I’m going back up to cheer them on, sit here and mope all you want.”

Kuroo twisted his mouth and tightened his arms across his chest as Yaku slipped by him and whistled at Nishinoya as he gyrated his hips on stage. Kuroo felt his hard exterior chip away as they finished their song and Bokuto whipped his head around to him, seeking approval. Kuroo returned his grin and shouted some responses to the song that would have been more appropriate for a strip club. Bokuto bent over with laughter, and Kuroo felt guilt nibbling at his conscious again.

From then on, he made more of an effort to get into the spirit of Bokuto’s birthday celebration, even earning a nod of approval from Yaku. Their small group continued to grow as some of their teammates showed up, followed by the greatest surprise of all: Kenma. Kuroo gaped as he slid in around their giant upperclassmen, hands shoved in his pockets and plopped on the seat next to Kuroo.

“Hey.”

“Hey, I can’t believe you came.”

“Neither can I,” Kenma sighed, his eyes twitching around at the boisterous environment like he hoped he wouldn’t be noticed. “Yaku said you needed a kick in the ass.”

“I’m surprised he allocated that role to someone else,” Kuroo said, casting a look of betrayal over to Yaku. He wasn’t that angry though, there was something soothing about his best friend’s presence that had a way of soothing his worries.

“So, what’s up?”

“Eh, I’d rather not say here.”

“You wanna go somewhere else?”

“That would be better, but I don’t want to hurt Bo’s feelings if we duck out.”

“How about we go get some snacks?”

“Kenma! You’re a little genius,” He laughed as he ruffled his blonde strands before getting swatted away with a growl. Kuroo slipped through the crowd of teammates to Bokuto’s side to let him know where they were going, and after collecting some requests and donations, he slipped out of the room with Kenma a step behind.

“Ugh, finally. It was so noisy in there.”

Kuroo laughed, giving him a nudge as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He had to admit he could breathe a little easier with a little space between him and Bokuto. He loved the guy to death, and his conflicting feelings on the matter were killing him.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s up?”

“Well, I guess it started last night at the club. There were a few of us there, mainly me, Bokuto, Sawamura, and Oikawa was there for a while. Anyway, this morning Bo gets up and announces that he likes Sawamura… more than a friend.”

“Oh, I guess I could see that.”

“What?!” Kuroo squawked, glaring at his traitorous friend. Kenma rolled his eyes, looking unbothered by Kuroo’s reaction.

“Daichi is good looking, strong, and reliable. He’s the type of person that would appeal to a person like Bokuto, who could use a little stability.”

“I guess I could see that,” Kuroo mumbled, feeling his mood drop as if Kenma had kicked it down a flight of stairs.

“Why would you have such a problem with it? You like them both well enough, right? And weren’t you hoping Bokuto would end up with someone great?”

Kuroo gulped, feeling his heart rate speed up as he considered the question and prepared himself to answer. There was something in his silence that caused Kenma to pause along the sidewalk to give him his undivided attention.

“The thing is,” Kuroo began, licking his lip as he met Kenma’s gaze, “I’ve realized that, as much as I want Bokuto to be happy, I can’t stand the thought of him with Sawamura. It just… pisses me off inside, like it burns right here in my chest! I can’t tell you the last time I cried over anything, but I’ve teared up several times today already just thinking about it. I don’t know what to do about it, Kenma. I care so much about Bokuto, but with Sawamura...The truth is, I love him,” He said, finishing in almost a whisper. Kenma’s eyes widened at the confession, but a small smile crept up his lips that seemed to be lacking surprise.

“You love him?”

“Yeah, I have no doubts about it. I danced with him the other night and I could hardly keep my hands off him. And it wasn’t just sexual, like, I love talking to him or just being by his side. I want him to coddle me and ruffle my hair. I want to go to bed at night with him in my arms, just soaking in the warmth of his body.”

“Ew,” Kenma interrupted, but Kuroo continued, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk as he ignored the crowds slipping by.

“I couldn’t get him off my mind this morning, and then Bokuto told me _he_ liked him and thought Sawamura liked him back. I’m so torn about it I feel like I’m going to die, but there is one thing for certain… Nobody can marry Sawamura Daichi but me,” He said emphatically as he finally stopped moving, facing Kenma with an assertive nod. For a moment Kenma gaped at him until he snorted into his hand.

“Maybe you should ask him out on a date before planning your wedding.”

“Kenma! How can you make fun of me at a time like this?!”

“It’s so easy, it would actually be harder not making fun of you.”

“What do I do? I want Bokuto to be happy, so do I sacrifice my own happiness for his? Is that fair?”

“Well, if you hadn’t interfered in the first place, he’d be with Akaashi now and wouldn’t be interested in Sawamura at all. So, it might be fair?”

Kenma might as well have hit him with a baseball bat, sending him careening over a fence for a home run. Kuroo’s mouth hung open as he processed everything; there was no doubt about it, Kuroo had totally screwed himself over with his idiotic propensity to meddle in his friends’ love lives.

“Kuro? Hey, I was only kidding,” Kenma said, waving a hand in front of his face.

“No, but you’re right. I’m such an asshole.”

“You’re an idiot, but not a total asshole. I know you only wanted what was best for him.”

Kuroo shook his head, despair seeping into his bones as he fought off the urge to cry in the middle of the street.

“I have to step aside and let them be together. It’s the only way, after all the harm I’ve done. I just hope he’ll make Sawamura happy, because if it was me I’d do anything for him,” He sniffed as a tear escaped down his cheek. He rubbed his face on his arm, taking deep breaths to contain his heartbreak. Pain suddenly shot through his ribs as Kenma’s fist jabbed him.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Are you going to give up? I thought you loved him?”

“I do! More than anything!”

“Then get over yourself,” Kenma huffed and spun on his heel as he set a fast pace down the sidewalk, Kuroo clamoring after him. “I mean it, Kuro. What if Daichi is in love with you and not Bokuto? How do you think he’d feel finding out you loved him to but just backed out of it like some self-righteous martyr?”

“He’d… kick my ass, over and over,” Kuroo answered after thinking about it logically. “But I don’t know how he feels!”

“Duh! Which means you need to calm down until he comes back! Talk to him honestly.”

“It’s going to change everything though.”

Kenma groaned and shoved his way into the conbini, heading straight for the snack aisle to pick up their provisions.

“Can you honestly think of one scenario resulting from this fiasco that wouldn’t change everything?”

“... No.”

“Exactly. When he comes back, have an honest talk with him. Admit your feelings, accept whatever his are, and move on from there, okay?”

“Why do you make it sound so easy? And since when are you such a relationship expert?”

“It’s always easier for someone on the outside looking in. And it’s not like I _don’t_ have relationship experience,” Kenma mumbled, looking everywhere but at Kuroo and trying to keep his back toward him.

“Wait, wait, wait, since when?! Kenma! Are you dating someone?”

“Sort of, trying it out.”

“Who, who, who??”

“What are you, an owl? Listen, you’ll find out soon enough. Let’s just get back.”

“Why won’t you tell me?”

“Because we need to finish talking about you! You’re the one with the issues.”

“Ouch,” Kuroo muttered but knew he couldn’t refute it. Kenma rolled his eyes and they continued gathering enough food to last them through the night. Finally, they emerged from the conbini with their arms full of provisions and walked back toward the karaoke place. Both their strides slowed down to a crawl, neither in a hurry to slip back into the noisy room full of disgustingly cheerful people.

“Do you feel better?” Kenma asked finally, glancing up at him.

“Yeah, I do. Thanks for talking with me. You’re right, I should just be patient and wait for Sawamura to tell me how he feels.”

“Good. Also, I take it Bokuto has no idea how you feel about Daichi?”

“Not a clue.”

“So, he’s clueless why you’re being so grumpy. He’s probably going to misinterpret it, so chill it on the moodiness, okay? If Daichi is in love with him, you’re going to have to let it go.”

Picturing a future where he would have to let Daichi go sent pain ravaging his chest. His breath shuddered as he inhaled, but he had to accept that there were things in life that were entirely out of his control.

“Yeah. I can’t say I’m prepared for it, but I know I’ll have to deal with it if that’s what Sawamura chooses. If that happens… do you think I could stay with you for a bit? I know your dorm isn’t that close to campus, but I’ll need some time away from them. At this point, I couldn’t bear seeing them happy together.”

“That’s fine. Believe it or not, I don’t want to see you suffer.”

“Thanks, Kenma,” He said softly, letting his arm bump into his friend’s. He felt better talking it out with Kenma, even if he was nervous as hell. And he knew that he was right about Bokuto as well, he needed to pretend nothing was wrong and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

By the time they returned, they were welcomed with cheers from their friends who were apparently starving, and Kuroo felt a million times better and laughed with the rest of them. In all the chaos, he nearly lost track of Kenma until he spotted his friend near the back of the room. But he wasn’t alone. Kuroo’s jaw dropped open as he watched Yamamoto Taketora shuffle closer to him, a dopey grin on his face as he reached out to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind Kenma’s ear. Kenma smiled shyly back at him, speaking so quietly Kuroo couldn’t hear what was said, but it seemed gentle with the way Yamamoto preened as a result.

Kuroo shook his head and rushed to the seat closest to the quiet couple and slipped his phone from his pocket. He wasn’t even thinking about his own tumultuous circumstances as he instinctively scrolled to Daichi’s name and clicked on a new message.

_**Kuroo** : I can’t believe you’re in Miyagi, missing the greatest development of the century_

_**Daichi** : What is it?! You better not be teasing me_

Kuroo felt a rush of warmth in his chest at receiving a message back so quickly. Even communicating with him in such a simple way calmed his heart down so it didn’t beat so painfully anymore.

_**Kuroo** : Kenma’s dating someone_

_**Daichi** : ?????_

Kuroo snickered and held up his phone, flicking on the camera and holding it as steady as he could to get a good shot in the low light of the room. Luckily, the pair didn’t hear the click over the rowdy music, and Kuroo giggled as he inspected the photo of Yamamoto and Kenma talking with their fingers subtly threaded together between them. Kuroo edited it quickly and sent it to Daichi, bouncing in his seat to receive his reaction. It took a few minutes, but he snorted when he received his text.

_**Daichi** : I don’t believe it. Did you doctor that photo?_

_**Kuroo:** Nope, it’s the real deal_

_**Daichi** : That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life_

_**Daichi** : I’m pissed I’m not there to see it_

_**Kuroo** : Serves you right, leaving me for Miyagi ;P_

Kuroo sent the last message without thinking, realizing only after that he should’ve put _we_ instead of _me_. It was too obvious, and his heart began raced as he waited for a response. He tried to pay attention to the singing, but every few seconds he glanced down at his blank phone screen until his neck started to get sore.

_**Daichi** : Lol, I won’t make that mistake again ;)_

Kuroo released a heavy sigh as he melted onto the booth, his arm hanging off limp with his phone dangling in his fingers. The response was so adorable, it gave him more hope than anything else had the entire day. He remained as a puddle of goo until Kenma hovered over him and knocked on his forehead.

“Are you alive?”

“Nope, I’m dead. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. At least you’re out of your misery,” He smirked and disappeared from his sight. Kuroo smiled, though the pain still throbbed in his chest. _I’m not out of it yet, but I hope I will soon_ , He thought as he lifted his phone back in front of his face to read Daichi’s text another few times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaaa that was a long, emotional chapter! I actually didn't mean to introduce _two_ new couples in this chapter, it just sort of happened, ha ha ha.


	9. Chapter 9

Kuroo groaned the next morning as he peeled his face from the carpet of his dorm room, blinking around in confusion. He was on the floor next to his bed with an odd weight pressing into his back. The bones in his neck cracked as he craned it around to see a pair of disgusting love birds using him for a pillow. As irritating as it was, however, he couldn’t help the goofy smile that spread on his face at seeing Yaku with a drooling Nishinoya snuggled against his chest.

Glancing across the room, Kuroo scrunched up his nose at seeing Bokuto snoring in his own bed, stretched out since he wasn’t sharing it with anyone. Kuroo’s bed seemed to be occupied by yet another amorous couple as he peered over the edge of the mattress. At first, he only saw Yamamoto, laying on his back with his arms laying over his head. Then he noticed Kenma plastered against him just barely visible above the blanket, his arms wrapped around Yamamoto’s waist and his head buried into the tight space under his ribs and the mattress.

_Jeez, what’s in the water lately? I’m coughing up adorable couples_ , Kuroo thought with a twinge of jealousy. Suddenly he understood the face Bokuto had been making all those months ago when he wished he could have a romance of his own. The only difference was that Bokuto didn’t have anyone in mind at the time, and Kuroo had no desire for any romance unless it was with Daichi.

Kuroo whined and plunged face-first back into the carpet. After receiving Daichi’s text the night before, he shook off the ugly feelings gnawing at him and was able to laugh and relax with their friends. He even joined Bokuto for a ridiculous song or two before half the crew came back to their place to watch a movie. He focused all his energy on everything around him and making sure Bokuto was enjoying himself.

There were moments, however, when they were watching the movie with nothing else to distract him that his mind slipped back to Daichi. He leaned back against his bed with his arms stretched them out across the mattress, thinking how natural it would have felt for Daichi to be snuggled into his side and stealing all his popcorn. And then he would have pinched his side, and Daichi would have glared up at him with a frightening aura. Slowly, an impish grin would spread across his lips and he would grab an even bigger handful than before. He could see it vividly as if it was a scene from a romance playing on the TV. But it was only an illusion, an image of what should have been.

_But even if he had been here, he may not have been sitting next to me._

Kuroo lifted his face and propped his chin on the back of his hands. Judging by the pale light barely filtering through the blinds it was yet another morning he was awake too early, and his body was beginning to ache from the lack of sleep. The room suddenly felt a little stuffy and claustrophobic, and the craving for a giant cup of coffee from his favorite cafe urged him to get moving.

He reached his arm behind him and slid it underneath Yaku’s back, lifting him up an inch so he could roll out from underneath. Cautiously he set them down, exhaling only after they were both settled back on the floor. He attempted to stand silently, but more parts of his body popped and crackled like he was some old man. Vowing never to sleep on the floor again, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror and nearly shrieked at his appearance. His face was partially red with little white dots scattered across in a perfect mold of the carpet. He smacked his lips, grimacing at the stale taste in his mouth from the snacks he had last night and knew he had to do something about that before he lost his mind.

His feet pattered around the room as he gathered fresh clothes and his bathroom kit before slipping out of the room. It was still hard for him to believe he was up and about so early in the morning, but he was beginning to enjoy the peaceful solitude hardly ever found in a dorm full of college boys. Just by brushing his teeth, washing his face and dressing in fresh clothes, Kuroo felt like a brand-new person. All he needed was that cup of coffee and perhaps he could face the world. Or at least survive another day without spending time with Daichi and not knowing his true feelings.

After stopping by the room to drop off his clothes, he grabbed his phone, jacket, and wallet and was gone without any of the room’s snoozing occupants knowing that he had even left. It was a long walk to the cafe, but the blast of cool air against Kuroo’s face cleared away all visages of sleep still hanging on. Every so often he stretched, working out the kinks from sleeping on the floor underneath two people.

He enjoyed walking through the city streets alone. Sometimes it was nice being silent, observing the world as it flowed around him. His gaze flew from face to face, wondering what their stories were, if they’re struggling with something, or if they’ve ever been in love. Kuroo may have been surrounded by couples in his group, but most of their relationships were bright and new. They lacked the mournful experience when love doesn’t favor them; they were lucky.

The morning seemed dreary as the sun had yet to make its appearance, and Kuroo tried to focus on the gorgeous spread of colors in the random trees spread throughout the city. He watched as several dried leaves broke from the branches and drifted lazily to the ground, which seemed to depress him even further.

_Everything ends…_

The thought choked him up, and he forced his legs to move faster toward the cafe, his breath puffing out in clouds of steam. He found that not thinking about anything at all was preferable to thoughts of Daichi. It didn’t make him feel any better, but at least it didn’t make him feel worse. When he finally spotted the cafe, an oasis in his desert of melancholy, he broke out into a run to grab hold of the familiar door and wrenched it open.

He sighed as a blanket of warm air hugged him when he opened the door. The aroma of coffee and pastries made his mouth water, but there was already someone in line ahead of him. It at least gave him time to look over the menu to decide what kind of coffee he wanted. He could drink it black, but he felt like he needed to treat himself with something special.

It seemed that the person in front of him still hadn’t ordered yet since the baristas were finishing up a previous order. Kuroo’s eyes flickered down to his back and couldn’t help but notice his height was rather similar to Daichi’s. His hair looked similar as well, short but soft and he fought against the urge to run his fingers through it.

_Wow, I’m so desperate, I’m starting to see him everywhere_ , He thought, and tore his eyes away to gaze around the cafe. It wasn’t too busy since it was the weekend and painfully early, and he noticed the booth he always sat in was empty. He cringed thinking about sitting in it alone; it didn’t feel right if Daichi wasn’t sitting across from him. Realizing he couldn’t go two seconds without thinking about him, Kuroo groaned loudly and rubbed his hands over his face. He was starting to think that going alone to the cafe was a bad idea since no one was there to distract him from thoughts of—

“Kuroo?” A familiar voice said in front of him, a deep voice that caused his breath to seize. He lowered his hands and suddenly Daichi was standing right in front of him. His dark brown eyes were wide with surprise and that, combined with his smile, bathed Kuroo in a warmth far more comforting than the cafe itself, filled with its pungent aroma of coffee and sweets.

When Kuroo failed to respond, his mouth hanging slack as he blinked stupidly in shock, Daichi’s eyebrows knitted together as his smile slipped away. Kuroo tried to move and say something smooth or at least coherent, but before his brain could kickstart Daichi reached up and slipped his hand into Kuroo’s hair as he studied him closely.

“Are you alright?” Daichi asked tenderly, and Kuroo thought for a moment that he was going to die.

“Yeah!” He squeaked, coughing into his hand but was careful not to pull his head away from Daichi’s gentle touch. “Sorry, yeah, I’m just surprised. I thought you weren’t coming back till tomorrow.”

Daichi’s face tensed for a moment before smiling bashfully. He pulled his hand away to scratch the back of his own head, and Kuroo nearly whined at the loss.

“I was going to, but I was feeling a little restless at home. There were some things I needed to take care of as soon as possible.”

“Oh? Did you forget about a test or something?” Kuroo asked, feigning his usual teasing tone while his heart was racing erratically in his chest. Daichi’s words were rather cryptic, and all he could think of was that he had realized his feelings for Bokuto and was ready to pursue them.

“No, I completed all my schoolwork before this weekend, since I figured you and Bokuto would be keeping me busy,” Daichi responded, giving Kuroo a little jab in his chest. Kuroo was thankful Daichi added him into the statement, but it still didn’t quell the nerves fluttering around in his stomach.

“You must have left insanely early, the sun’s just coming up.”

“It didn’t matter much to me. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

The barista called out for the next in line, and Daichi’s attention was pulled away before he could say anything else. He listened as Daichi rattled off his usual boring coffee and felt an urge to do _something_.

“Um, I got his,” He said, stepping forward and stopping Daichi’s hand before it reached in his pocket to pull out his wallet.

“What? You don’t have to.”

“Come on, my treat,” He purred, rubbing his thumb in a circle over the top of Daichi’s hand before releasing it. He pulled his attention back to the barista and gave his own drink order, ignoring the smirk on the girl’s face as she glanced between them.

“That’s quite a _special_ drink for you,” Daichi muttered as they stepped aside to let the girl make their orders. “You don’t normally get something so sugary.”

“Yeah, I know. I had a rough day yesterday, I needed a pick-me-up,” Kuroo admitted, stretching his collar away from his neck to give it some air. It felt like his entire body had burst into flames that Daichi knew his regular order, but he needed to shake it off. They were good friends and hung out so often that it would be obvious that Daichi would know his usual drink order.

“Kuroo, what’s wrong? You didn’t sound well on the phone yesterday, and I’ve been worried about you ever since,” Daichi said as he leaned closer to him, his voice hardly above a whisper.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. Especially when you were home trying to enjoy yourself.”

“Don’t worry about that, just tell me what happened.”

Kuroo pressed his lips tight and glanced around the cafe. There weren’t many people there, but that meant anyone could hear what they were saying, even if they were whispering. The barista was already glancing at them as she bit her lip, waiting for them to say something juicy.

“I do want to talk to you about it, but maybe on our way back to the dorm?”

He heard the barista give a little hum of discontent, loud enough that even Daichi heard it as his eyes flickered to her with an amused grin. He turned his gaze back to Kuroo and blessed him with one of his most encouraging smiles as his hand reached out to wrap around Kuroo’s wrist.

“Of course. I won’t pressure you.”

Every time Daichi touched him, it seemed to make his heart sputter and scramble his brain. He should be used to it, he and Daichi always had a chemistry between them that transcended their verbal banter and overflowed into physical touch. He almost wished Daichi had touched his hand instead, so he could thread their fingers together, but he was so enthralled at being held at all that he couldn’t stop leaning further toward Daichi and grinning back.

“Thank you,” He whispered, covering his hand over Daichi’s and gave it a gentle squeeze. He could have stayed like that for hours, had the barista not hissed from burning herself in the equipment. He rolled his eyes, knowing she had probably been paying closer attention to them than on making their drinks. Daichi seemed to have the same idea, pulling his hand away as a blush tickled his cheeks. They chuckled awkwardly and took a step apart, looking around the cafe to find anything interesting to look at besides each other. He nearly cheered when the barista finally set their drinks in front of them with a giant grin on her face.

“Come back anytime!” She chirped, her round eyes flickering back and forth between them.

“Thanks,” Kuroo deadpanned as he took his drink and wrapped his arm around Daichi’s shoulders to usher him out as quickly as possible. He winced when he heard a delighted giggle erupt behind him.

A rush of cool air flowed around them as they exited, dampening the heavy tension that had been building inside. He removed his arm from Daichi and focused on filling his body with sugar-saturated caffeine. He was dying to make fun of the nosey barista and have a laugh with Daichi about it, but it would be impossible to do so without talking about _why_ she had been so inquisitive, and he wasn’t quite ready for that.

They began their walk back to the dorm in an awkward silence. There were many times when they were quiet around each other, but it was usually comfortable and relaxing. This time the aura between them was crackling and discordant, filled with quick glances and nervous chuckles tumbling after. With the long walk ahead of him, he wasn’t prepared to admit his feelings just yet, but his mind was scrambling to find anything else to talk about to fill the time.

“Oh, um, how was home? You were only there a day, what did you do?”

“Home was good! It was actually a very busy weekend for my family, so I was only able to eat lunch with them. I had dinner with Suga, Asahi, and Shimizu since we were all back in town at the same time.”

“Wow, that was good timing. Where do they all go to school?”

“Suga stayed behind in Sendai and Asahi is here in Tokyo, though his University is a little further out. Shimizu decided to go to school in Kyoto. It was wonderful seeing them, though a little tough.”

“Tough, why?”

“It kind of hurts to breathe with how many times Suga punched me in the ribs,” He said with a wince as he slipped his hand into his jacket and massaged the tender area. Kuroo snorted and nudged him gently with his arm.

“Suga-chan’s always been about tough love, hasn’t he?”

“Yes, and I feel like I got a heavier dose of it than usual.”

“Why? Did you do something stupid?”

Daichi opened his mouth to answer but paused as he thought about it longer. He licked his lips and stole a quick glance up at Kuroo before taking another sip of coffee.

“I guess you could say I was acting stupid, thinking stupid things. As much as it hurt, I think I needed it. I need to stop hiding from my problems.”

“You know, you told me earlier I could always come to you. It goes both ways, Sawamura. If you’re dealing with something, I want to know and help if I can.”

Daichi slowed his steps and he gazed up at Kuroo. As Kuroo matched his pace, he felt his nerves bubble up at the way Daichi seemed to be mentally working something out. His face softened finally with a smile and he continued walking normally with a nod.

“Yeah, maybe you can.”

As open-ended as Daichi’s statement was, there was something final about it. Kuroo allowed the silence to fill the void and complete the conversation until Daichi was ready.

They were just on the outskirts of campus and Kuroo’s palms began sweating as he felt their time alone drawing to a close. He paused as he eyed the path that drifted down a hill into the campus gardens, a place revered by students as one of the only places in the city where they could be at peace in a beautiful, natural habitat. Daichi seemed confused at his hesitation until Kuroo gestured that way instead of the path toward their dorms.

“Sure,” Daichi said with a radiant smile, and they turned to head in that direction. Kuroo was relieved he had a little more time, but he didn’t want to just spring a confession onto Daichi. He needed to somehow get the conversation over that way, but he had no idea how to do it.

“So, when were you going to tell me about Eyebrows and Oikawa being a secret couple?”

Daichi snickered and shrugged his shoulders that looked mouth-wateringly firm in the snug jacket he was wearing. He had a dark green scarf wrapped around his neck that Kuroo was tempted to feel, wondering how soft it was and if it was enough to keep Daichi warm.

“I wasn’t going to tell you about it because that was Matsukawa’s business. Besides, they weren’t exactly in a secret relationship, they had been separated for over a year.”

“Still, it was quite a shock showing up at your room yesterday and finding Oikawa wearing nothing but his underwear.”

“You’re lucky you had at least that,” Daichi replied, his face darkening with what seemed to be horrifying memories. Kuroo cackled, his voice bouncing off the surrounding trees and relaxing the tension between them as Daichi laughed with him.

“I have to admit though, they looked genuinely happy together. I’ve been noticing for weeks that Oikawa seemed to be holding on to a painful past, it’s a relief to finally see it healed.”

“I agree. I didn’t like how he handled the break up; Oikawa tends to be a little manipulative and selfish, but I have no doubt that he would do anything for Matsukawa. And vice versa.” Daichi fell silent for a moment, his shoulders slumping as he gazed down at the path in front of him. “I feel rather jealous, to be honest,” He finally said, his voice hushed yet easily heard in the quiet of the garden.

“Jealous? Don’t tell me you had a crush on Eyebrows,” Kuroo said teasingly, though he already knew that wasn’t the case. He acknowledged that one reason he disliked Matsukawa was because of his closeness with Daichi, but he never perceived anything more between them than friendship. Regardless, he almost felt like throwing up as he waited for Daichi to respond since he gave him a perfect opening to talk about who he was truly crushing on.

Instead of answering right away, Daichi snorted at his question and gave Kuroo a shove, though his nervousness was evident.

“No, he’s not my type.”

“Oh? I didn’t realize you had a type, Sawamura! Please enlighten me.”

“Apparently, I have a thing for idiots,” Daichi laughed as his cheeks brightened. He trudged forward, gazing at the pond which relieved Kuroo since he was mentally freaking out and was certain his face was showing it.

_Shit, that could be me or Bokuto._

“Eh, that’s pretty broad. A lot of people fit that description. Any other redeeming features?”

“Yeah, uh, I guess I like crazy hair as well, athletic, ridiculous…”

“Ugh, Sawamura, you’re killing me!” Kuroo groaned as he walked off the path to slam his forehead into a nearby tree trunk. After several moments of painful silence, he heard Daichi huff out a laugh behind him.

“It’s not like you to be so dramatic. How am I killing you, Kuroo?”

Despite the laugh, his voice sounded strained, like he was holding his breath. Kuroo clutched at his aching chest and turned to face him. Daichi waited patiently for him to start, but the lines creased across his forehead told Kuroo he was just as worried about what was about to unfold as he was.

Behind Daichi, the pond rippled gently in the wind, surrounded by mossy boulders and delicate trees with twisted branches. Leaves of every color drifted around them, twisting in the air and settling lightly in the tufts of grass. The sun finally began to lift over the earth, pouring beams of warm light through the trees and casting a glow across Daichi. As if he wasn’t handsome enough.

The scene was almost too idyllic for the stressful situation, but Kuroo allowed it to calm his nerves and gathered the courage to spit out the question he needed to ask.

“I know it’s probably not my business, and if you didn’t tell me before then there’s probably a reason for that. But please, Sawamura, I have to know who you’ve fallen in love with. It might be difficult for me to deal with for a while, but I don’t want to lose you and not knowing is far worse than the alternative.”

Daichi’s chest lifted as he sucked in a quick breath. After his initial surprise at the direct question, he cocked his head at Kuroo.

“Do you really not know? I thought for sure you had seen straight through me, and I had no choice but to admit the truth.”

“I never thought about you being in love before, but recent events have made me wonder. I have a couple ideas who it might be. Let’s just say one is preferable to the other.”

Daichi sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head.

“This is getting us nowhere, I hate riddles. Both of us are reluctant to just say what’s on our minds, so I’m just going to say it.” His intense gaze locked on Kuroo as he moved forward, every step he took forcing Kuroo’s heart to pound harder against his chest. He didn’t stop until he was right in front of Kuroo, his chest heaving, and his jaw clenched tight with determination. He reached out to grip the front of Kuroo’s jacket, tugging him close so his face was hovering just above Daichi’s.

Just like the night at the club when they were dancing, Kuroo found himself lost in Daichi’s eyes. As opposed to the infinite galaxies he saw reflected then, now they were bright and radiant, beckoning Kuroo to sink further into their depths. Kuroo felt warmer already with Daichi’s body near his own and his breath grazing across his skin. He craved to lean forward and brush his lips against his flushed cheeks, but he stayed frozen and waited in anguish for Daichi to speak.

“Kuroo, can you really not see how much I’m in love with you? From the moment we met, I’ve been entranced by you. But it’s the time spent together since that has developed such deep feelings that I can’t deny them any longer. Everyone around me tells me I’m completely obvious, and there were times I was certain I gave myself away. No matter how far I bury my feelings and mask them with actions of friendship, there were times when they just burst out before I could stop them. You would catch me staring at your face or I would accidentally pet your hair, but you never pulled away and I couldn’t stop myself from hoping,” Daichi’s voice broke on the last word, squeezing his eyes shut as if it was painful to speak.

Kuroo remained frozen in shock as Daichi took several deep breaths to calm himself. Inside he was screaming, the synapses in his brain popping like fireworks as tears of joy began to form in the corners of his eyes. He fought against his own body, trying to move or say anything, but before he could Daichi opened his eyes at last with a deep breath. There seemed to be a hardness in them, however, that wasn’t present before.

“Aren’t you going to say something? Tease me or at least let me down gently? I’m prepared for it, Kuroo, you don’t have to hold back for my sake.”

“No,” Kuroo breathed, interrupting Daichi’s speech as he blinked back at him.

“No? What do you—”

“No, I won’t tease you or let you down. I’m sorry I was so quiet, it’s just… I was terrified I was dreaming again, and if I even blinked you would just disappear. _Daichi_ ,” Kuroo whispered, dropping his empty coffee cup on the ground and nestling both his hands against Daichi’s chilled cheeks. The chocolate-brown eyes staring up at him widened at hearing his given name on Kuroo’s lips, and Kuroo could feel his breath shuddering against his face. “Daichi, saying that I like you back wouldn’t go far enough. I love you. No, I’m _crazy_ about you!” He shouted, not caring if he disturbed the peaceful surroundings with his declaration. It was worth it to see the radiant smile erupt on Daichi’s face. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it, I was such an idiot. I just kept getting distracted by everyone else’s relationships that I almost missed out on the greatest thing that could happen to me.”

“You mean it? You really love me?” Daichi asked, his face drifting closer to Kuroo’s. His eyes smoldered as he pursed his lips to wet them, and suddenly Kuroo was smacked with the realization that those lips were finally about to be his. His grin stretched wide as he gently tilted Daichi’s head in his hands.

“Daichi, I am madly in love with you. I’m sorry to break it to you, but you’re mine now. There’s no getting rid of me.”

“Shut up,” Daichi chuckled, and the breath of a distance between them disappeared as their lips touched. Daichi’s skin was chilled from the frigid morning air, but his lips were warm, soft, and perfect. Kuroo closed his eyes and inhaled into the kiss, drawing in the scent of pine from the man in his arms and the earthy aromas surrounding them that seemed to compliment Daichi perfectly.

They seemed to melt together as their lips caressed, opening their mouths to give in to their mounting desire. Daichi’s breath shuddered between their lips, and Kuroo wasn’t even sure he had any breath left as he dove further in. A hum passed through their mouths as their tongues grazed over each other, and Kuroo dropped a hand from Daichi’s face to wrap around his waist. He slid his palm under his jacket and spread his hand over his warm back to pull him in closer.

Daichi seemed eager to do so as he leaned in, stretching his hand up to rake through the back of Kuroo’s hair and gripping into his messy locks. Kuroo moaned and pulled back slightly from the kiss, just enough to suck on Daichi’s bottom lip. He released it with a smack, and they took the chance to fill their lungs with some much-needed air.

Their eyes fluttered open as their chests heaved, and Kuroo couldn’t help but marvel at Daichi’s beauty. His cheeks were flushed his excitement and his lovely eyes were darkened with desire. His dimpled smile was what really stole Kuroo’s breath away, and before the other could stop him he rushed forward to kiss the indent in his cheek.

“Mm, I’ve wanted to do that forever,” He whispered against Daichi’s skin, nuzzling him for a moment before pulling back.

“What, kiss my cheek?”

“Your dimple.”

“You’ve wanted to kiss my dimple _forever_ … but you didn’t know you liked me more than a friend?”

Kuroo giggled and dropped his head onto Daichi’s shoulder in shame.

“I already admitted I was an idiot.”

Daichi’s chuckle rumbled through his chest as he pressed a kiss to Kuroo’s temple.

“That’s alright, I already told you I have a thing for idiots, remember?”

Kuroo laughed and buried his face into Daichi’s scarf, wishing he could slip underneath it to kiss his neck.

“Yeah, but I thought you were talking about— oh, shit,” He whispered, his entire body stiffening with the realization.

“Kuroo? What’s wrong?” Daichi asked, cupping Kuroo’s cheek and pulling him up to see his face. Kuroo’s breaths quickened as he felt his euphoric happiness slipping out of his grasp like a fine sand.

“I wish that at this moment I could just be happy.”

“You’re not happy? You don’t want to be with me?” Daichi asked, a flicker of fear passing through his eyes.

“No! I do! I want to date you and marry you if I can! My mind is still reeling with happiness that I can actually be with you. It’s just… Bokuto.”

“What does Bokuto have to do with it?” Daichi asked, his body relaxing from Kuroo’s assurance.

“Do you remember the other night at the club when we were dancing?”

Daichi smiled and glanced away, his cheeks turning even brighter.

“Of course, I do.”

“I think that’s when I started to realize that what was happening between us went far beyond the bounds of friendship. Especially when I began feeling possessive over you, not wanting to share your attention.”

“Hmm, I thought you were more handsy than usual,” Daichi chuckled, and it was Kuroo’s turn to blush. “I felt it, the change between us. The dance, the way you stared at me…”

“How did I stare at you?” Kuroo asked, his curiosity running rampant to find out Daichi’s perspective on the night.

“Like you were going to devour me. Like a panther would stalk a gazelle,” Daichi laughed.

“To be fair, I nearly did. If Bokuto hadn’t interrupted I would have kissed you for sure.”

“I had the feeling that you would; it was magnetic between us. I kept running over the whole scene afterward and the next day, wondering if I was just imagining it. So much so, that Suga kept punching me and finally ordered me to go back to Tokyo to get my man and give them some peace.”

Kuroo snorted, easily picturing Daichi receiving an assault of love from his friend.

“I did the same thing, trying to remember everything that happened that night. At first, I thought you felt the same, but then yesterday morning I spoke to Bokuto and everything fell apart. He admitted that he was interested in someone new, and then told me that person was you.”

Daichi sucked in a breath, unprepared for the sudden revelation.

“Are you serious? That’s impossible, he’s only just getting over Terushima!”

“I know, but I have a feeling that your comfort and encouragement seemed to have had an unexpected effect on him. It hit me hard to hear that, especially since I had barely come to terms with my feelings for you. I warned him that he might get his heart broken again, but then he went on to tell me he was certain you liked him back. You’ve been paying more attention to him lately, and then you asked him to dance when you always refused me before. I think that part just about killed me.”

“But dancing with you was a bigger deal because I _liked_ you! I didn’t mind goofing off with Bokuto because I didn’t care if I embarrassed myself in front of him. I never thought that—” Daichi groaned and buried his face into Kuroo’s chest. Wrapping his arms tight around him, Kuroo nuzzled his face into his hair and kissed his head. “I never meant to lead him on. This is going to crush him.”

“I know. Don’t feel guilty, though. It’s not your fault, it’s mine. This never would have happened if I had just listened to you in the first place.”

“Hmm, you’re right, it’s completely your fault,” Daichi said with a mirthless laugh, lifting his face enough to meet Kuroo’s eye as he laid it against his shoulder. Kuroo wanted to snap a picture of the moment, but he refused to release Daichi even to slip his phone out. Instead, he tightened his grip around him and observed every detail to savor in his memories forever.

“I don’t know what to do, how to break this to him as gently as possible.”

“I think you need to be honest and direct. It’s the only way. Unless... do you want me to tell him?”

“No, I think that would hurt him even more. Like I said, it’s my fault, I need to do what I can to make it right.”

Even as he said the words, he felt no confidence in them. He had been so worried about Daichi loving Bokuto instead of him, he hadn’t considered what would happen if Daichi chose him. His chest began to ache again for an entirely different reason, and his mind was seized with frantic thoughts of what he was going to say, how he was going to say it, and what Bokuto’s face would look like when he did.

Calloused fingers grazed across his forehead and down his cheek, drawing his attention back down to the man resting against him.

“Tetsurou, breathe” He whispered tenderly.

“Say that again?”

“Breathe.”

“No, before that.”

Daichi grinned as he slipped his fingers into the back of his hair and pulled Kuroo’s face lower.

“Tetsurou?”

“If you continue to call me that, I will be your slave forever.”

“Oh? I didn’t realize it came with such a perk,” Daichi chuckled as he leaned up to kiss him gently. “It’s going to be okay. I’m not going to lie, it will be hard at first. But I’m here for you if you need anything. And regardless how Bokuto feels about me, I want him to know that I still care about him as a friend.”

“I’ll make sure he knows that… if he listens that long enough. I don’t know, I just have the feeling this is going to be harder than all the other heartbreaks he’s had.”

“I doubt that, how long could he have liked me? He liked Terushima for much longer.”

“He may have liked him longer, but you’ve been friends with him for so long it might feel deeper already.”

“That’s true, I didn’t think about that.” Daichi sighed and shook his head. “I think we should get going. It’s no use talking about what could happen when we’re just prolonging the inevitable.”

Kuroo whined and pretended to sob, and Daichi snorted as he stood on his tiptoes to wrap his arms around Kuroo’s neck. “The sooner all this goes down and you get depressed, the sooner I can comfort you to the best of my abilities.”

Kuroo gulped as Daichi pressed his body against him and kissed him deeply. It took everything in Kuroo’s willpower not to spin them around and pin Daichi against a tree but decided instead to grip his hands into the back of his jacket. Kissing Daichi was exhilarating, and he was furious with himself that it had taken him so long to do so.  By the time he pulled back, his body was on fire and his heart was racing at a breakneck pace.

“Hell, Daichi, you make a man _want_ to have his heart shattered.”

Daichi huffed out a laugh and bumped his forehead against Kuroo’s.

“If I promise to comfort you regardless, will you try not to have your heart shattered? I think we have enough to worry about with Bokuto.”

“Deal,” Kuroo said softly, closing his eyes for a moment. Even without his sight, he could feel Daichi against him, their hair blending together as they nuzzled tenderly. He inhaled his scent that always had a way of calming him down, once again wondering why he had never noticed it before. He squeezed his eyes tighter, hoping with every fiber of his being that he wasn’t about to lose a good friend at the cost of finding true love.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Was it romantic enough for you? I sighed quite a bit writing it, and I must have rewritten several sections b/c I felt like it needed more, lol. I'm just relieved I've finally made it to this point, I couldn't wait to get these two together.   
> There's a possibility of two more chapters (not counting the special Matsukawa chapter)? It's hard to gauge before actually writing them, I'm trying my best to pace these chapters well and not rush the ending since I want it to be satisfying. So I guess we'll see!


	10. Chapter 10

Kuroo felt like he was walking in a dream as they wandered down the path through the garden with his hand clasped in Daichi’s. The regal colors fluttering in the autumn wind were like a soothing watercolor backdrop as he stole glances at Daichi, who always seemed to know when he was looking as his cheeks brightened and hesitantly met his gaze. Kuroo squeezed his hand and grinned, but instead of grinning back Daichi bit his lip and jerked his head straight as his cheeks burned even brighter. Kuroo stifled a laugh, knowing his new boyfriend was still reeling in disbelief that they were finally together, and it wasn’t a dream at all.

He experienced a rude awakening when they walked up the hill and found themselves thrown back into the chaotic environment of the campus. Small groups of students were emerging from their dorms and flowing in random directions across the main square. Daichi squeezed his hand to get his attention before slipping away from Kuroo’s grasp. Kuroo pouted at the loss, but he understood when Daichi smiled apologetically and gestured with his head toward the crowds.

It didn’t stop Kuroo from nudging Daichi with his arm every few steps, gently at first until Daichi began nudging back and it became an all-out war to see who could knock the other off the path. Neither had to say a word as they charged up the stairs of their dorm, racing to reach their floor first. Kuroo almost always won since he could easily skip steps with his long legs, but Daichi seemed more determined than usual and kept swinging his arm in front of Kuroo’s face to keep him from passing. When he reached the top before Kuroo, his cheers echoed throughout the confined space of the stairwell and his elation was so adorable Kuroo couldn’t even be angry.

“Cheating, Daichi? What happened to the _honorable_ captain of Karasuno? What would your monstrous minions think of you now?” He said in a low, menacing voice as he rounded on Daichi and cornered him against the wall beside the door. Daichi’s eyes widened as his back hit the cinderblock, but he regained his composure quickly as he raised his chin and smirked.

“Who says I cheated? I think you’re just a sore loser,” He murmured as his fingers gripped into the front of Kuroo’s jacket. Daichi chuckled as Kuroo gave a low growl and gripped his hands into Daichi’s waist.

“I’m going to get you back for that. Would you like to know what we do with cheaters where I come from?” He purred as he gripped the material of Daichi’s scarf and tugged it loose. At last, he spied the warm skin of Daichi’s throat and buried himself in it, grazing the sensitive skin with his teeth. Daichi sucked in a quick breath as he slammed his head back against the wall, his fingers tightening their grip as he pulled Kuroo against him.

“Ooooh I’m so scared,” Daichi whispered, his breath trembling as he said it, and Kuroo grinned against his neck knowing it had nothing to do with him being frightened. He buried his face lower and slipped his tongue out to lick a long stripe up Daichi’s throat, earning a reverberating moan curling through it as a reward.

“Did you like that?”

“O-Obviously, but we need to stop.”

“Hmm? Why would we need to do that?” He purred as he nuzzled against Daichi’s ear and grabbed his lobe gently with his teeth. He was fascinated with every new side he was discovering of Daichi. Making him turn to jelly in his hands was quickly becoming his favorite.

“Because any minute someone could walk through that door. What would you do if it was Bokuto?”

Kuroo stiffened as if Daichi had poured a bucket of ice water over his head. He whimpered and knocked his forehead against Daichi’s shoulder, wishing he didn’t have to go through with it.

“Can’t you just do something so revolting in front of Bokuto that he gets over it on his own?”

Daichi snorted and dug his hands into Kuroo’s hair to pull him back.

“What on earth would you have me do? Vomit on him? Strip down and dance around with my underwear on my head?”

“No, no! Don’t do that, I have a feeling he’d like that.”

Daichi shoved him away with a laugh and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but you have to do this. It’s going to hurt like hell, for all of us, but it’s the best way for Bokuto to heal.”

Kuroo winced and followed Daichi through the door to their hallway. He gazed down the long, narrow space and eyed his door as if it was the entrance to his tomb. Daichi placed his palm against his back and rubbed it tenderly, and Kuroo drew in a deep breath to bolster his courage. He knew that no matter what happened, he had Daichi to come back to.

Daichi stopped by his door and gave him one last look of concern when they both heard several rowdy voices coming from inside.

“Ugh, they must have switched to your room after they woke up,” Kuroo explained when Daichi looked confused.

“Who’s all in there?”

“Probably Yaku and Nishinoya, possibly Kenma and Yamamoto…”

Bokuto’s booming laughter erupted from within, and they both cringed at the sound. Suddenly Kuroo’s heart was pounding, and he glanced around for an escape. Unfortunately, the door wrenched open to reveal Nishinoya’s beaming face.

“Daichi-saaaaan! You’re back already!” He cheered, slapping his senpai’s back with impressive force before yanking him into the room. Kuroo paused just inside the door as Daichi was met with greetings from all over the confined space of his room.

“Looks like we got invaded,” Daichi chuckled as he gave Matsukawa a high-five in passing.

“Yup, Yaku ran into Oikawa in the bathroom and they all took that as an invitation. I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow?” Matsukawa asked with a smirk as his eyes darted from Daichi to Kuroo.

“Oh, uh, it’s a long story,” Daichi explained with a nervous chuckle. His face swiveled around, at a loss of where to go since his bed was entirely taken up by two couples with Bokuto in the middle. He shuffled further in and dropped the bag from his shoulder and glanced curiously at Kenma and Yamamoto. “Okay, I need to know how this happened.”

“How what happened?” Kenma shrugged as he seemed to melt into Yamamoto’s side as if it would hide him from view.

“Come on, I was gone for a day and missed everything,” Daichi urged as he plopped onto his computer chair, focusing all his attention on the ex-Nekoma pair.

“Maybe you should tell us why you suddenly arrive first thing in the morning with Kuroo after he mysteriously disappeared this morning,” Kenma shot back. Daichi’s face fell as everyone in the room seemed to lean forward at once.

“Yeah, Man, where did you go?” Bokuto asked, ignoring the implication as he cocked his head at Kuroo.

“It was purely coincidence, really. I couldn’t sleep because a couple people were using me as their personal pillow while I had to sleep on the floor,” He said, glaring at both the couples who didn’t seem sorry at all. “It was so early I just wanted a delicious cup of coffee from my favorite cafe, and the only person ahead of me happened to be Dai-Sawamura,” He finished awkwardly, and coughed as he prayed no one would mention his mistake.

“That’s quite a coincidence,” Oikawa leered from beside Matsukawa. When Kuroo glared at him, Oikawa stuck his tongue out at him and giggled.

“Yeah, that’s what happened. I got on the train disgustingly early this morning and the coffee shop is on my way back to campus from the station. Now that’s explained, it’s your turn, Kenma,” Daichi finished with confidence, narrowing his eyes at Kenma and daring him to avoid the question.

“It’s really crazy, actually!” Yamamoto began instead, and from his vibrating muscles, it seemed he couldn’t wait to talk about himself and Kenma. “I hadn’t seen him since that last time we met, remember? The night Yaku-san and Nishinoya got together. So, after months of not seeing each other, I spotted him on a train that was nearly bursting it was so full. I wasn’t sure if I should call out to him since there were so many people between us, but I did and… he smiled when he saw me,” He said quietly, his cheeks brightening as his gaze drifted to the floor. Kenma slid even further behind Yamamoto to hide from everyone’s intrigued staring.

“Is that the end of the story?” Matsukawa asked dryly, his eyebrow arching up skeptically.

“No, it’s just, well after that we fought our way through the crowds until we met just in front of the doors. It was weird, the vibe between us, I never noticed it before. I don’t know if it was because we hadn’t seen each other for a while, but it was hot!”

Kenma snorted behind him, and Yamamoto buried his face in his hands.

“What was your perspective on it, Kenma?” Kuroo asked, smirking as his friend emerged from behind Yamamoto’s shoulder to glare across the room.

“It was about the same,” He answered curtly, but when Kuroo rolled his eyes he sighed. “Mom and Dad have been telling me I should try dating. They weren’t pressuring me or anything, they just thought that I would enjoy it if I tried it. I couldn’t really argue against their points, surprisingly, and I wondered if maybe I could find the right person it wouldn’t be so bad. I went to a couple group dates, and each one was as frustrating as the next. I was just going back to campus on the train, squished between a bunch of gross people when I heard Tora’s voice… I may have been very relieved to see him,” Kenma muttered as he pinched his lips tight and tried to look somewhere other than at a person, but it was difficult when the room was over capacity. “When we reached each other, I wanted to hug him, which is weird because I never want to hug people. It was comforting having him near, and so I asked if he wanted to hang out. We hung out several times after that, and not always playing video games either.”

“Yeah! I got him to go to the movies with me and out to some restaurants!” Yamamoto interjected, his head nodding enthusiastically as he ignored the huff from beside him.

“Anyways, eventually it felt less like hanging out and more like dating, so I asked if he wanted to make it official.” Kenma paused in his story to snicker into his hand. “He looked like he was going to wet himself when I asked him.”

“I was not!” Yamamoto squawked, but it was too late and the whole room erupted in laughter. “Ken, how could you tell them that?”

“ _Ken_?! Holy shit, that’s adorable,” Kuroo chuckled and Kenma fixed him with a deadly glare.

“You’re one to talk.”

Suddenly, it felt like someone had turned a giant spotlight onto Kuroo as everyone jerked their heads toward him.

“Whoa, does Tetsurou-san have someone he’s crushing on?!” Nishinoya asked eagerly and Yaku gasped.

“Is that why you were so mopey yesterday? Like the world was about to end?”’

“What? Do you really, Dude? Why didn’t you tell me?!” Bokuto whined and Kuroo felt like his heart was about to break into a thousand pieces. He opened his mouth to say something, but it felt like his heart was lodged in his throat.

“Oh, Bokuto!” Daichi interjected as he bent over to open his bag. “I’m sorry about missing your celebration yesterday, but I brought you back a variety pack of specialty, Sendai-made mochi.” Bokuto cheered as Daichi handed the brightly-wrapped package to Kenma to pass down the line.

“Thanks, Sawamura!”

“My pleasure, happy birthday,” Daichi answered weakly, casting a nervous glance to Kuroo. While Bokuto was occupied with opening his treats, everyone else’s attention seemed to waver between him and Daichi, trying to figure out what was actually going on. Oikawa caught Kuroo’s eye, raising his eyebrows questioningly as he motioned between him and Daichi. Kuroo winced and shook his head and hoped that would be enough for him not to blurt something out before he had a chance to speak with Bokuto.

“Um, we should get going, Bo. Sawamura’s had a long trip and I’m sure he’d like to rest. Though I’m sure Eyebrows is loving the company,” He said, snickering when he heard the hum of discontent from Matsukawa. Bokuto nodded as he hopped off the bed to join Kuroo by the door.

“Oh, sure! Thanks for the sweets, Sawamura! I’m glad you’re back early, we should hang out later when you’re rested.”

“Yeah, that sounds good. See you both later,” He said, his voice wavering a little as he gave Kuroo a sympathetic smile. When Bokuto’s back was turned, Daichi held his hand up to his ear and mouthed _call me_. Kuroo drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves and nodded. Just before he slid out, he blew a silent kiss in the air to Daichi and the whole room filled with gasps as he closed the door behind him.

“I won the poll!” Yaku shouted from inside, and he cringed as Bokuto turned around in confusion.

“What did he say?”

“Uh, not sure! Come on, I’m exhausted and could use a nap myself. Kenma and Yamamoto didn’t do anything nasty in my bed after I left, did they?”

“Ha! Not that I saw. It was just a bunch of disgustingly cute snuggling and kissing.”

“I still can’t believe they’re together, it’s so weird. I just remember them bickering like a couple of territorial alley cats.”

“Just goes to show you never know who’s just going to work and who isn’t!” Bokuto said cheerfully as he slipped into their dorm room. Kuroo gulped, hesitating just before stepping over the threshold.

“Yeah…” He muttered, shuffling inside and closing the door behind him. The room really did feel like a tomb; the lights had not been switched on yet and Bokuto was quiet as he settled back on his bed.

“So, what’s up, Dude? You look like you’re sick.”

“Nah, I’m just tired.”

He sighed and slipped out of his shoes and jacket, scratching his head as he tried piecing together the words he needed to say. Bokuto seemed to sense the mood and remained quiet and alert as Kuroo settled onto his own bed to mirror him.

“Crazy luck running into Sawamura at the coffee shop,” Bokuto began, his words hesitant through his encouraging smile.

“Yeah! I wasn’t expecting it at all. To be honest, I stood behind him in line for a few minutes and didn’t realize it was him.”

“Did you… did you talk about me at all?” Bokuto asked hopefully. Kuroo met his gaze, frozen in the depths of his golden orbs and felt swamped with a bout of nausea. He didn’t want to see the light in Bokuto dim as usually it did when he was consumed with disappointment.

“Yeah,” He finally croaked out, taking deep breaths as he leaned forward and propped his arms on his knees. “I did.”

“Hmm, it went that well, huh?” Bokuto said, wincing at his own words.

_Well, it did for me…_

“I don’t know what to say, Bo.”

“Just tell me what he said, I can take it.”

“He didn’t mean to lead you on, he was rather devastated by that. He loves you as much as I do, as very good friends.”

He fell silent for a bit, letting Bokuto process the news. There were no dramatic cries of anguish, obnoxious pouts or childish tantrums. To be fair Bokuto had been progressively improving when it came to his emotional willpower, particularly when it came to volleyball. Kuroo would have almost preferred any of that to the subtle changes in Bokuto’s body language.

It seemed like Bokuto was shrinking as he hunched forward, his gaze drifting from Kuroo to the floor between them. His arms crossed in front of him, wrapping around his waist like a self-hug. Kuroo bit his lip and watched, his body itching to run over and wrap his arms around Bokuto to comfort him.

“What’s wrong with me, Kuroo?” He asked finally, so quiet it felt unnatural in his raspy voice.

“Nothing! Not one thing is wrong with you. Seriously, who knows what attracts people to other people, it’s really almost pure luck when one person likes another, and it’s reciprocated.”

“Yeah, but look at Noya and Yaku, and now Kenma and Yamamoto… not to mention Oikawa and Matsukawa.”

“Okay, yeah they all recently just got together… honestly, I’m pretty sure it’s a supernatural phenomenon. Someone may be doing experiments on them.”

The corner of Bokuto’s mouth quirked up as his gaze lifted to meet Kuroo’s.

“At least this time it’s not because he’s in love with you instead, right?” Kuroo’s face fell before he could stop it, and Bokuto’s eyes widened as his mouth fell open. “You’re kidding… Sawamura confessed to you?”

“Yeah, he did. I’m sorry, Bo.”

Bokuto shrugged and huffed out a mirthless laugh.

“Why are you sorry? Because you’re so much more appealing than I am?”

“I’m not! I swear it’s just a fluke.”

“How’s this going to affect you guys? I mean, I think I can handle still being his friend, it just might take time.”

Kuroo frowned, trying to follow Bokuto’s thought process. When it finally hit him, he cleared his throat and rubbed his chest where his heart had begun racing again with a fresh bout of nerves.

“The thing is, I didn’t refuse him. I accepted his confession.”

“You did? Why?”

“Because I’m in love with him.”

Another look of surprise flashed across Bokuto’s face before hardening with a clenched jaw and furrowed eyebrows.

“What do you mean you’re in love with him? Since when?”

“That’s a tough question. I think I’ve been in love with him for a long while. It was so gradual I didn’t even realize it. It wasn’t until the night we went to the club that I saw that my feelings for him went far deeper than friendship.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? You could have said something yesterday when I told you I liked him.”

“Honestly? I didn’t even think about telling you. Knowing that I was in love with him was still so new and alarming, I completely froze when you turned it around on me and admitted your feelings. Not only that but when you said you thought he liked you back… you had very valid reasons for thinking so, and I was caught off-guard.”

Kuroo gazed at Bokuto, surprised that of all the things for him to be angry at, he never thought it would be because he didn’t admit his own feelings for Daichi. Even after his explanation, Bokuto remained silent, processing his words with his lips pressed tight.

“I think,” Kuroo continued, hoping to soften the truth any way he could, “Another reason I said nothing was because you’ve been through so much lately. If Daichi liked you too then why intrude with my feelings, you know? That, and I didn’t want to upset you on your birthday.”

“How do you think I feel now, Kuroo?”

“... Like shit?”

“Yeah, that’s pretty close to it,” Bokuto said, his features softening as he lowered his gaze once again.

It was over, he had admitted everything to Bokuto and that was that. His heart didn’t seem to realize it as it continued to throb painfully, and his stomach seemed just as stubborn as it twisted into knots. His mind was reeling as he thought about every decision he had made since that night he declared he was going to find Bokuto love. It was months ago, and he had weaved a web of his design that seemed to tangle Bokuto and everyone he cherished in a confusing labyrinth of heartbreak. Was it possible to be the devil himself without even realizing it?

Movement across the room jarred him from his thoughts. Bokuto was rummaging around in his drawers, yanking out clothes and stuffing them into his duffle bag.

“What are you doing?”

“I think… I have to stay somewhere else for a bit.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s hard to breathe in here. It’s going to take some time to process everything, and it’s hard to do that with you constantly around.”

Kuroo blinked back the onslaught of tears, ignoring the stab of pain from Bokuto’s curt words.

“How long will you be gone? Where will you go?”

“I don’t know… I’ll find something. You’re not my only friend, you know,” He said and paused from zipping up his duffle. He sighed heavily, and with a shake of his head, he turned his face toward Kuroo. “It’s not like this is the end of our friendship or anything. I just need a little time.”

Kuroo nodded his head, forcing a shuddering breath into his lungs.

“Y-Yeah, okay. Just let me know if there’s anything I can do. Seriously. I don’t want you to go, but I feel like I’ve made enough stupid decisions for you. You can handle yourself.”

“I can. I’ll probably still see you at practice, but…” Bokuto’s voice drifting off, unable to meet Kuroo’s gaze as he tightened his grip on the shoulder strap of his bag.

“I’ll let you have your space, but I’ll be waiting for you to come back, Bo. I would do anything to heal your pain, so please just let me know. I’m just--” Kuroo choked when he could no longer hold back the tears, and he took a moment to wipe his cheeks and sniff before continuing. “I’m sorry, Bo.”

“Sorry Sawamura’s in love with you?” Bo asked as his mouth turned up, though there was no light in his eyes to indicate it was a smile.

“No… I’m too selfish to feel that way. I know I don’t deserve it, but I can’t help but be ecstatic that he loves me back. I’m just sorry you keep getting hurt and that it’s always my fault. I’m sorry I ever interfered in the first place, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my feelings for Sawamura.”

Bokuto nodded, his face etched with a seriousness that looked so foreign Kuroo hardly recognized him. He said nothing else as he lifted a hand and waved listlessly before turning toward the door. With his back to Kuroo, Bokuto slipped his feet into his shoes and walked out of the room without making a sound.

In his absence, Kuroo felt the pressure mount in the room as if he’d been locked in a dank mausoleum. The sun had climbed higher since he had returned to the dorm, but even as the light filtered through his small window it didn’t seem to affect the gloomy atmosphere within. Bokuto had only removed the essentials, a few outfits, his bathroom supplies, and his books, but it still seemed painfully empty on his side of the room even amidst the leftover clutter.

After several minutes of staring, frozen in numb disbelief, Kuroo released the sob he had been holding back and collapsed onto his bed. He wasn’t sure what he expected, but he never believed that Bokuto would leave. He couldn’t blame him; had Daichi chosen Bokuto instead of him he wouldn’t have been able to stomach seeing them together. It was even deeper than that, though. It wasn’t that Daichi chose him over Bokuto, it was that Kuroo hadn’t told him the truth when it mattered. Bokuto had placed his entire trust in Kuroo, and he underestimated that trust completely.

Kuroo buried his face into his pillow, his back shaking as he released all his sorrow into the suffocating fluff. His entire body ached, and he lacked the energy it would take to even sit up on his bed. He wondered why poets always dwelled on the pain of love but never spoke of the heart-wrenching feeling of losing a friend. Romances tend to come and go, but friends usually stick with you through it all.

Bokuto had always been a shining beacon of positive light in his life. They riled each other up during competitions and inspired the other to improve and fight harder. Kenma would always be his best friend; their relationship was almost familial with how much of their childhood was spent with each other. But there was no one he laughed harder with than Bokuto, and he was one of the only people he could completely let loose around. Their bond was something difficult to describe, built on an easy trust that he didn’t need to think about, like knowing the ground will be in front of him when he takes a step forward.

Kuroo was drawn out of his anguish by a knock at the door. Blinking his sore eyes around the room, he realized that the day had moved on without him realizing it. He glanced at his watch to see it was already late afternoon and he had done nothing but cry and dwell in his dark thoughts the entire time.

The knock came again, and he croaked out that he’d be right there. He took several deep breaths as he wiped his face clean though he knew it wouldn’t do any good. He was certain that whoever was there would be able to see his morose written on his face as if Bokuto had taken a sharpie to his forehead, which wouldn’t be the first time that had happened.

After composing himself as best he could, Kuroo opened the door to find Daichi waiting on the other side. He didn’t look surprised at seeing the remnants of his crying, but he did wince with sympathy as he reached up to cup his blotchy face.

“Are you okay? I was worried when you didn’t call.”

“I’m sorry. When Bo left, I kind of lost it and didn’t realize how much time had passed.”

Daichi frowned and glanced down at Kuroo’s hands reaching for his waist.

“You’re shaking. Have you had anything to eat all day?”

“Uh, no, now that I think about it. I had that coffee and then everything happened so quickly—”

Daichi grunted and shoved him back into his dorm room, yanking his phone out of his pocket as he closed the door behind him.

“Sit.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m ordering delivery, but it might take a bit so try to eat something to tide you over.”

“I don’t feel like eating,” He groaned, feeling sick at the thought as he wrapped his arms across his stomach.

“Tough shit. You’re going to eat whether you like it or not, even if I have to force you,” Daichi said sternly, casting him a dark look as he raised his phone to his ear. Regardless of his inner turmoil, Kuroo couldn’t resist smirking up at his strict boyfriend.

“Oh? I didn’t realize you were such a sadist. What other things are you going to _force_ me to do?”

Daichi’s face softened as he huffed out a laugh and shook his head.

“If you can joke like that, I’d say you’re going to be fine. Yes? I’d like to order some delivery…” Daichi said in a clear and polite tone, distinctly different from the one he used to tease Kuroo. He wandered around the room as he spoke, pausing at the window to stare out it without looking at anything in particular.

Kuroo leaned back on his bed and watched him thoughtfully. Listening to Daichi’s deep voice was soothing, and he allowed the sound of it to fill his mind and shove out all other thoughts. His eyes began to droop as his exhaustion finally began to take over, but just as he shut them something smacked his face.

“Ow!” He shouted as he looked down at his lap where the offending object had landed. It was one of his unopened protein bars, and he glared up at Daichi as he rubbed the sore spot on his cheek. Daichi snickered and turned back toward the window to finish up his order, not looking a bit sympathetic. Kuroo scrunched up his nose but tore into the bar regardless, which proved to be difficult with his shaking fingers.

_People think Daichi’s such a good guy, they have no idea how cruel he can be_ , He thought as a smile played on his lips.

As soon as he bit down into the bar, his stomach growled with such ferocity he wondered if the entire floor could hear it. Daichi laughed as he hung up the phone, looking quite smug as he stomped forward and plopped onto the bed next to him.

“Your body is better at telling the truth than you are.”

“Are you saying I’m a liar?”

“I’m saying you’re depressed, stubborn, and dramatic, a bad combination when you haven’t eaten anything all day. Keep eating it, you’ll feel better. I also got you your favorite from the place down the street.”

“Thanks,” Kuroo mumbled as he chewed.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Daichi asked, reaching up to thread his hand through Kuroo’s hair, which he instinctually leaned into.

“He said he was going to spend some time away and to give him space.”

“Was he really upset?”

“He didn’t cry as I did, honestly he took it well until he found out I accepted your confession and admitted I was in love with you.”

“He had a problem with that?”

“He had a problem with me not telling him before.”

“Oh, I can see how that would make him angry.”

“Yeah, same. I don’t know what to do about it.”

Daichi slid his hand down to Kuroo’s chin and pointed his face toward him.

“I think at this point there’s nothing more to do. He said he wanted space, so you give him space. Wait for him to come to you, and I know he will, Tetsurou.”

Kuroo’s nose stung as a fresh bout of tears threatened to emerge.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because Bokuto’s one of the strongest people I know, and I’m not just talking about physically. You made a mistake, that just means you’re human. Bokuto knows your heart was in the right place and I know that he wants the best for you as much as you want the best for him. He’ll be back before you know it. Now, if you’ll allow me to be slightly selfish,” Daichi said in a low, sultry voice as he tugged Kuroo’s face toward his own, “I don’t want my first few days of finally dating Kuroo Tetsurou, the man of my dreams, to be filled with tears and sadness.”

Kuroo grinned back at him as his lips drifted lower to meet Daichi’s.

“Man of your dreams, huh? What bad taste you have, my Love,” He chuckled against Daichi’s lips as they pressed together tenderly. He marveled at how such a soft touch could obliterate the dark aura that had been eating away at him all day. He sighed into Daichi’s mouth and melted around him, desperate to fill his senses completely with Daichi.

Daichi’s lips smiled against his own before pulling away, earning a pathetic whine from Kuroo. He chuckled as he gripped his fingers into Kuroo’s shirt before laying back on Kuroo’s bed, tugging Kuroo down on top of him. His heart raced as he hovered above Daichi, and he couldn’t help but stare down at him in wonder.

“What did I do to deserve you?”

Daichi rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Kuroo’s neck to tug him lower.

“It’s not about deserving, and you know full well I’m no saint.”

“Oh, right, I do remember that time you replaced my lotion with that glittery junk.”

“You were like a glamorous pixie, I’m surprised you didn’t fly away!” Daichi chuckled, shrieking a moment later as Kuroo’s fingers fluttered across his ribs.

“That stuff didn’t come off for a whole week!”

“S-Stop, please, you got me back for that! My point is that I love you, even if you’re a goofy nerd who occasionally makes terrible life choices.”

“Jeesh, stop Daichi, you’re going to make me blush,” Kuroo deadpanned.

“Awww, does my Baby need a compliment?” Daichi cooed, nestling his hands against Kuroo’s cheeks.

“I wouldn’t mind one, and feel free to call me Baby anytime you want.”

“I’ll remember that,” Daichi chuckled. “You know, everyone knows Bokuto has a big heart, he wears it on his sleeve. But I know your heart is just as big. You may have unconventional methods for showing it, but I know you’d do anything for your friends. All I know is you have brought so much laughter to my life, and if you weren’t here by my side my University experience would be dull and pathetic.”

Kuroo’s face grew warm as Daichi spoke with his eyes full of tenderness. He laughed awkwardly and lowered his face just above Daichi’s.

“That’s all very sweet, but I was expecting you to brag about my devastatingly good looks.”

“Oh, yeah, there’s that, too,” Daichi chuckled as he lifted his face to kiss Kuroo before he could ramble on any longer. Kuroo sank down on top of him with a pleased hum. He relished the feeling of pinning Daichi down into his mattress with his own weight. His fingers slipped underneath them hem of Daichi’s shirt and massaged his sides, giggling as Daichi sucked in a quick breath. Before he could protest, Kuroo opened his mouth wider and kissed him so deeply he couldn’t escape. His body was quickly heating up when suddenly there was another knock at the door.

“Delivery!” A muffled voice called from the other side, and Kuroo dropped his head onto Daichi’s chest with a groan.

“Be right there!” Daichi shouted back and dropped a kiss into Kuroo’s hair. “Come on, you’ll feel better after food.”

“I was feeling just fine until we were interrupted,” Kuroo grumbled, but straightened up regardless so Daichi could answer the door. He leaned his head back against the wall, gazing at Daichi’s broad back as he grabbed the heaping bags of food.

His chest still ached from losing Bokuto, but he hoped Daichi was right and it wouldn’t take him long to return. Deep down he hoped that Bokuto would experience love for himself, the right one this time. But with all the crushes and confessions surrounding him already that year, it was difficult to imagine everything falling into place for Bokuto anytime soon.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugghhh it hurts so bad! Still not sure if there will be one or two more chapters before the end (not counting the special chapter), I guess we'll know for sure next time! The next chapter at least will be infinitely lighter than this one :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of the story!! I'll have a bonus one after this with little snippets of Matsukawa's perspective.  
> Ahem, btw this chapter is over 10K... I got a little excited, I hope you all enjoy it!

Kuroo sighed and leaned back in the creaky seat, letting his gaze flow over the dim movie theater as more people began to filter in. He wanted to enjoy the moment; any time spent with Daichi was special and it seemed to be the only thing getting him through the past couple of weeks. He had genuinely believed that it would only take a day or two for Bokuto to come back, but he didn’t. Bokuto sat away from him in the two classes they shared and remained distant whenever they met for practice.

Kuroo was relieved he had least had glimpses of Bokuto to know he was doing alright, but that was the extent of it. He knew nothing about where he was staying and with whom, if he was eating enough and if he was faking the cheer he showed to others. From what little Kuroo had seen of him, he wouldn’t have believed anything was wrong with Bokuto. He wasn’t sure if it was a relief or if it hurt him even deeper that Bokuto was fine without their friendship.

He was startled from his thoughts when a piece of popcorn bounced off his temple. He glared at his _mature_ boyfriend who wore a smile that oozed innocence.

“Wasting food, Daichi? That’s not like you.”

“Ha, ha. I thought it was the cutest way to interrupt you from your stupid thoughts.”

“How do you know they were stupid? And since when is throwing popcorn cute? A kiss on the cheek would have been adorable.”

“The lights are still on, I would have had to wait if I was going to kiss you. And I can tell your thoughts are stupid because you look glum.”

“I’m sorry, I just wish Bokuto would come back and forgive me.”

Daichi sighed and threaded his fingers with Kuroo’s to stop them from drumming on the armrest.

“I know, I wish there was something I could do to help. I’m sure it won’t be long.”

“You said that two weeks ago.”

“To be honest, I can’t believe it’s taken him this long. And observing him during practice, he doesn’t even seem that upset.”

Kuroo winced, hearing his thoughts spoken out loud. It was a confirmation of what he had been fearing.

“Do you think he’s tired of being my friend? That I’m too much?”

“You’re worried that _Bokuto_ would think _you’re_ too much? He’s the definition of too much,” Daichi chuckled. “I’m sure he has a good reason for not coming back that has nothing to do with ending your friendship. Didn’t he even tell you that your friendship wasn’t over?”

“Yeah, he said that, but maybe after thinking about it—”

“I bet you ten bucks he just got distracted by something.”

“You’re on. That way if I’m right and he hates me, at least I get ten bucks out of it,” He said with a laugh that sounded fake even to himself. Daichi’s eyebrows pinched together as he observed him. Before he could say anything, the lights in the theater dimmed and the screen lit up to begin the previews.

Kuroo kept his gaze on Daichi as he stared back. In the dark, it was difficult to see the expression on his face. The bright colors from the screen flickered across his face, reminding Kuroo of the night they danced together at the club. Back then Daichi was as alluring as he was feisty. There, in the intimacy of the theater, he could feel the concern Daichi had for him. It was subtle, shown in the way he rubbed his thumb over the top of his hand, and the way he cocked his head and rested it against the seat as he watched Kuroo through his large, dark eyes.

A soft smile crept up Daichi’s lips as he leaned in toward him, and Kuroo couldn’t resist mirroring the action. Daichi had that effect on him; he was either challenging him or luring him in, and honestly, Kuroo couldn’t decide which he enjoyed more.

Their lips met in a soft caress as Daichi slid his hand across the back of his head. They opened their mouths further and he ran his tongue across Daichi’s, tasting the mix of salt and butter lingering there. Every time they pulled back, he felt Daichi’s warm breath shudder against his face, and it compelled him to kiss him even deeper.

It was difficult staying quiet, but it also made it more exciting to try and hide their kissing from the other patrons. They had luckily chosen a seat further back, so there was no one behind them or to the sides to notice their impromptu make-out session. He angled his body in his seat, so he was facing Daichi and reached his arm around his waist to pull him in further. Daichi chuckled into his mouth when Kuroo nearly knocked the bag of popcorn off his lap.

“You’re going to make a mess,” Daichi whispered, flicking his tongue against Kuroo’s lips and causing Kuroo’s heart to stutter.

“It’s just popcorn.”

“Just popcorn? It’s expensive and an important part of the moving-going experience,” Daichi said, his face too serious to be joking. Kuroo snorted, stifling it into his palm as Daichi glared a little more.

“I’m sorry, but isn’t making-out during a movie an even better part?”

“There’s nothing saying we can’t have both.”

Kuroo giggled and snatched the bag of popcorn away from Daichi. He ignored the growl coming from the seat next to him and Daichi’s grabby hands as he turned his back on him and forced the crinkly bag into the cupholder next to him. Once he was sure it wasn’t going anywhere, he turned back to Daichi.

“Why’d you take it away?” Daichi muttered, sticking his bottom lip out further than a mature college student should be. Kuroo eyes glittered menacingly as he pulled the armrest between them up and snuggled closer to Daichi.

“Come on, kissing first, then I’ll give you your snack.”

“Why can’t I have the popcorn first?”

“Are you seriously choosing it over me?” He whined and flinched when several people turned around to give him a dirty look. They smiled awkwardly until the faces turned back to the screen and Daichi jabbed his ribs with his fist.

“Haven’t you been dying to see this?”

“Yeah, but I’ll probably watch it again. I was just getting into it,” Kuroo purred as he nuzzled up to Daichi’s ear and grazed it with his teeth. He felt Daichi’s back stiffen as he sucked in a quick breath, and Kuroo chuckled with delight. Just a little more coaxing and he knew Daichi’s stubbornness would melt away.

“M-Maybe I wanted to watch it.”

“Go ahead, I’ll just be down here,” Kuroo whispered as he pressed gentle kisses down the line of his neck. Daichi craned his head back as he gripped his hands into Kuroo’s back, offering the length of his throat for the taking. Kuroo didn’t waste time as he pulled him in and sucked on the warm, sensitive skin under his chin. He could feel Daichi’s pulse under his lips, and he grinned even wider whenever he made it beat faster.  

The movie they were watching was an action film, starting right off with an exciting chase scene with roaring engines and rampant explosions. It helped when Daichi accidentally whined a little louder than he should have, and his breathing grew more ragged. Kuroo shivered with every little noise, and the desire to take Daichi completely apart was overwhelming.

As he worked himself down Daichi’s throat and onto the bit of chest peeking from his V-neck, Daichi gripped his fingers into his thick, messy hair. Kuroo let out a pleased hum; Daichi doing anything to his hair was an instant turn-on. His body was beginning to heat up, and he could tell Daichi’s was as a sheen of sweat began to form across his skin.

“Tetsu,” Daichi whispered into his hair, his hands taking hold of Kuroo’s shoulders to urge him back. “It’s too much, we’re still in public.”

Kuroo huffed and allowed Daichi to pull him back.

“It’s a loud movie, and it’s dark in here.”

“Forgive me, but I don’t want my first sexual experience with you to be in a grungy movie theater,” Daichi grinned, and even in the dim light, Kuroo could see how flushed his cheeks were and how dark his eyes had grown with desire. In fact, with his disheveled hair and rumpled clothes he looked sexed up already, but he had a point. As much as he wanted to devour Daichi at that moment, it wasn’t the setting he had in mind. Kuroo took a few deep breaths to calm down and nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry, I got a little ahead of myself.”

“I, uh, didn’t mind that at all,” Daichi said as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Maybe we can get back into it later in your room.”

“We could go now, if you’d like,” Kuroo murmured against Daichi’s forehead and dropped a kiss against it.

“The movie just started, and weren’t we going out to dinner after?”

“Forgive me if being near you makes me impatient,” He said as he slipped a hand up Daichi’s thigh.

“O-Ok, let’s go,” Daichi said, nodding his head as he squirmed underneath Kuroo’s hand. Kuroo wasted no time grabbing the popcorn and handing it to Daichi as he helped him out of his seat. Daichi rolled his eyes and quickly adjusted his clothes and hair to appear more presentable. They both took a deep breath when they emerged from the theater out onto the street, relishing in the cool breeze that soothed their heated skin.

“I can’t believe we paid all that money for a movie you wanted to see and then left before it reached the midpoint,” Daichi said as he tossed a couple pieces of popcorn into his mouth. “What are we going to do about dinner?”

“Well, hopefully, the popcorn should tide you over until we can have a little fun, then maybe we can order delivery.”

“This won’t stick with me for long.”

“Should we just go to a love hotel?”

“No! That’s a waste of money when we’re so close to campus.”

Kuroo groaned and buried his face in his hands.

“Daichi, you’re killing me.”

“I seem to be doing that quite often,” Daichi teased as he nudged him with his arm.

“How can you be so calm about all of this?” Kuroo asked as he dropped his hands to his sides. Daichi laughed and shook his head.

“What part of me is calm? Did you see me in there?”

“I just feel like you’re not as excited about doing _this_ as I am.”

“Of course, I am! I’ve only dreamed about it a million times. Do you remember how long I liked you?”

“Oh? Did you fantasize about me?” Kuroo leered as he wrapped an arm around Daichi’s shoulders. Daichi’s lips pinched tight as he looked away, apparently refusing to answer the question. “That’s it, I want to hear about every single one.”

“Too bad.”

“You owe it to me!”

“Why would I owe it to you?”

“Because you were using my image for private dirty time without my knowledge or consent.”

“Are you saying you never fantasized about me?”

“I mean… yes, but I’m sure you had way more than I did since you were aware of your crush and I wasn’t.”

“You’re putting me in a bad mood,” Daichi grumbled as he crumbled up the empty popcorn bag and tossed it into a nearby receptacle.

“I’m sorry?” Kuroo snickered and squeaked when Daichi turned a menacing glare up at him.

“Bad mood is not a sexy mood.”

“O-Ooooh, um, I’m sorry, Baby! Did I tell you how sexy you look tonight with your sweater and leather jacket? But you’re probably worn out from all the drills we had to do today, how about I give you a massage when we get back? Would you rather grab take-out instead of waiting on delivery?”

“Shut up!” Daichi laughed and grabbed Kuroo’s hand to pull him along. Kuroo tried stifling his grin, noting the blush trickling across Daichi’s cheeks. He wanted to lean down and kiss it, but he knew the most PDA they could muster was a little hand-holding, and that was mainly to stay together as they weaved through the crowds.

“Am I still in trouble?” Kuroo asked after a while, batting his eyelashes at Daichi.

“You _are_ trouble, so it would be impossible for you to be out of it. But I’m not mad anymore, and maybe sometime I’ll tell you… my fantasies,” He said in a whisper, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

“Mmmm, I can’t wait to hear them.”

“Do we, um, need to stop and get anything?”

“What things are you talking about, Daichi?” Kuroo teased, knowing full well what Daichi was hinting but he relished the panicked look on his face.

“You know what I mean!”

“I know, I know, I couldn’t help it. God, you’re so cute.”

“I’m _not_ cute.”

“You are. To answer your earlier question, no, we don’t have to stop anywhere. I’m all stocked with _supplies_ ,” He said with a wink.

“Since when have you been stocked?” Daichi asked, frowning up at him with a suspicious look.

“Right after we started dating, that day you forced us to double date with Eyebrows and his Brunette Bimbo.”

“How do you think Oikawa would feel, knowing you just called him that?”

“He’s the one who came up with the nickname, don’t blame me!”

“Ugh, he would.”

“Anyways, remember when we stopped by the store and you and the scarecrow spent forever in the vitamin section, like the two old men that you are?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Oikawa and I perused the sexy section and stocked up. He gave me some very good tips I’m looking forward to trying out, by the way.”

“Ew, I don’t want you doing anything that Oikawa recommended! That’s so weird.”

“You won’t think it’s weird when we’re doing it!”

“Keep it down, people actually know us here,” Daichi muttered as he glanced around at the students milling around on the outskirts of campus.

“You know, if they know us at all they’ll be used to it by now. Someone in my Chemistry class asked me if you and I were dating, and my lab partner laughed at them. He had apparently assumed we’ve been dating all year.”

“Yeah, same with all our upperclassmen on the team. Still, I don’t like everyone knowing everything about us. I like to keep some things to ourselves,” Daichi said warmly as he squeezed Kuroo’s hand.

Kuroo had to bite his lip to keep from giggling over Daichi’s words. He couldn’t believe he could say such things without being embarrassed and he wanted to tease him mercilessly. At the same time, however, he didn’t want Daichi to stop. He wanted to soak up every ounce of attention Daichi was willing to give him. He squeezed Daichi’s hand back and lifted it to his lips, planting a light kiss against his chilled fingers. He grinned like the devil as Daichi’s face flushed bright red and tried to yank them out of Kuroo’s grasp.

“Oh, no. You’re not getting away from me that easily. Come on, we’re almost home.”

“Finally,” Daichi huffed as he shivered. They both started walking faster down the path, anxious to get out of the cool air and find some way of warming each other up. Just the anticipation was quickening Kuroo’s pulse, and he practically started skipping as they neared the doors to their dorm.

As usual, they raced to their floor, though this time it was less competitive and more mutual excitement, akin to the feeling children have when they race downstairs to open their presents on Christmas morning. Giggling as they plowed down the hallway, Kuroo nearly ran into the wall as he fumbled with his room key. It made it more difficult when a set of cold fingers slipped under his shirt and began to graze up his back.

“Sssshit,” He hissed as he kept missing the slot with the key. Daichi snorted and buried his face into his back.

“Well, that doesn’t give me any confidence.”

Despite the jab, Kuroo cackled and knocked his head against the door.

“That was too cruel, Dai.”

“Come on, you might as well work on your aim now.”

Kuroo was certain that even his ears were bright red at that point. He ignored his boyfriend’s filthy mouth and focused entirely on slipping the key into the hole.

“Finally,” He breathed as he shoved it in and jerked it to the side.

“I really hope you’re not that forceful with me.”

“Don’t worry, Darling, I’ll be gentle,” Kuroo snickered as he triumphantly swung the door open and froze. “Bokuto?!”

Bokuto paused from unpacking his bag and greeted them a wide grin.

“Hey, guys! I was wondering where you were.”

“Hey!” Daichi said as he shoved the shocked Kuroo into the room and shut the door behind them. “Did you just get back?”

“Yup, maybe I should have called first? Did you guys want to be alone?”

Kuroo’s body jerked as his brain finally started working and in unison, he and Daichi shook their heads emphatically.

“No! I mean, we did, but--”

“But we’re fine, we missed you!” Daichi interjected and Kuroo nodded numbly.

“You’re sure I’m not interrupting? It looked like you two were, uh…”

“Well, I may be a little horny, but what else is new, right? You’re here to stay, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah! I’m back!”

“Should I go?” Daichi asked, glancing between them. Bokuto turned around completely and waved them both in.

“No way, sit down, Sawamura! Come on, we have a lot to catch up on!”

They shuffled out of their shoes and jackets and sat across from Bokuto on Kuroo’s bed. Bokuto bounced on his own mattress, his golden eyes dancing as he looked like he was about to burst. Kuroo and Daichi shared a confused look before Daichi cleared his throat and leaned forward.

“So, you look like you’re doing well. You’re not upset anymore?”

“No, I’m not upset at all! Oh! Right, I was pretty sad when I left… um,” Bokuto chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. “I’m sorry.”

“What?!” Kuroo squawked. “What do you have to be sorry about?”

“Well, the whole me being upset thing, it didn’t last that long. I was over everything within a couple days.”

“Then, why did you stay away? You could have said something at practice or class.”

“I know! That’s why I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to avoid you this whole time, it’s just… I may have done something really naughty.”

Kuroo and Daichi blinked at him for a few minutes before sputtering into laughter.

“Bo! What the hell does that mean? First, why would I care if you do something naughty? Unless you tried stealing Daichi away from me.”

“Oh, no. He’s all yours.”

“Gee, thanks,” Daichi deadpanned and Bokuto laughed and waved his hand apologetically.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re a handsome man, Sawamura, but my crush on you literally lasted two seconds. I seriously thought about it those two days and I have no clue why I didn’t realize you were practically married already!”

“Bo, I’m relieved you feel that way and that you’re back to normal. But what happened that kept you away? You haven’t told us yet!”

Bokuto’s grin slipped down a little as he appeared to grow a little nervous. He gulped and sat up straight as he prepared to speak.

“Okay, I’ll tell you guys what happened. I just hope you won’t be angry.”

“I can’t imagine why I’d be angry. Go ahead.”

“Well, for two days I slept on Noya’s floor because no one else could convince their roommate to take me in temporarily. He tried to make it as comfortable as he could, but there’s only so much you can do without a futon. I really felt down, and mostly because I missed you guys. So, as I said, I was about to come back. Then everything changed the second day when I was at the Library.”

Kuroo squinted, unsure he heard him right, while Daichi cocked his head.

“You were at the Library?”

Bokuto nodded. “Yeah! Taking a nap!”

“Oooooh,” Kuroo and Daichi said in unison, and Bokuto continued his story.

 

_Two days after Bokuto left… and Bokuto was napping in the Library_

“--uto-san… Bokuto-san... Bokuto-san?” A voice said gently in Bokuto’s ear, luring him out of his sleep. He groaned as he blinked his eyes open, and slowly Akaashi’s face came into focus. Bokuto gasped and nearly headbutted him as he jerked up.

“AKHAASH--!” He began, but a palm slapped across his mouth, stopping the noise abruptly.

“You’re in the Library, Bokuto-san!” He scolded quietly, nodding apologetically at some students trying to study at nearby tables. “Why are you sleeping here?”

“It was the most comfortable place on campus, and I was tired.”

“What’s wrong with your room?”

Bokuto winced and glanced down at the floor.

“Oh, um, Kuroo and I haven’t been on the best terms the past couple days. I’ve been sleeping on Noya’s floor.”

Bokuto had already been feeling better about the situation and was planning on going back to his room to make up with Kuroo. He was still mad about him keeping his feelings for Daichi a secret, but Bokuto understood why he did it. He missed being around his friend, and he knew the quickest way to feel better about everything was to reunite with him. Before he could explain any further, however, Akaashi gave a huff.

“That’s no good, of course, you won’t get any good sleep that way. I wish I had known, I’m in a single room and I have an extra futon. You can stay with me until you patch things up with Kuroo.”

Bokuto heart began to beat faster at the thought of spending so much time with Akaashi. Despite running into him that one rainy day, they had not spent much time together because of Akaashi’s busy course schedule. Staying with him for a while could be the opportunity Bokuto was hoping for, but he was planning on reconciling with Kuroo—

“Sure! That would be great!” Bokuto whispered though it ended up being as loud his usual volume. Akaashi sighed and motioned for him to follow as he began to walk toward the staircase. Bokuto snatched his bag and jacket and scrambled after him, his feet bouncing with every step.

_Sorry, Kuroo. I promise I’ll come back soon._

Bokuto hadn’t napped long, but the day seemed strangely brighter than it had before he entered the Library. Even the Autumn air seemed warmer as he walked beside Akaashi. He stole glances down at him and jerked his head back forward, unable to wipe the dopey grin off his face.

Despite what he had been projecting all year, he never healed from losing Akaashi as a friend. It was like a piece of himself was missing, and no clubbing, drinking, or crushing on random people would fill one bit of it. He just hoped that Akaashi offering him a place to stay would lead them back to each other for good. He would do anything to repair the damage between them, even if he had to be Akaashi’s slave.

_Hmm, that doesn’t even sound too bad._

“Why are you so hyper, Bokuto-san? I thought you were tired.”

“Because we get to hang out! I missed you.”

Akaashi’s face tightened and he licked his lips before speaking again.

“I… I missed you, too.”

“Are you doing okay? I know you’ve been busy.”

“I’m fine, though a little exhausted. To say my major is intense would be an understatement. All my spare time is spent on projects and study.”

“That does sound stressful, but if anyone can handle it, it’s you. You’re the smartest person I know.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is! Who’s smarter than you?!”

“Plenty of people,” Akaashi answered as his lips curled up in a smile. He kept his eyes pointing forward, though, and Bokuto contemplated doing something ridiculous, just to get him to look at him. He restrained himself since they were nearing Akaashi’s dorm and he didn’t want to do anything to get him in trouble.

He sped forward and opened the door wide, letting Akaashi walk in first. With a mumbled thanks, Akaashi rushed in but Bokuto spotted a blush creeping up his cheeks. Bokuto chuckled but said nothing, following Akaashi up the staircase with a sheepish smile. When Akaashi finally led him into his room, Bokuto bounced around the small space with fascination.

“Wow! I can’t believe this is my first time in your room! It’s nice and clean! Why did you decide to live in a single? Don’t you get lonely? Why do you have an extra futon?”

“Bokuto-san, please! One question at a time. I decided on a single so I wouldn’t be disturbed while I study. The futon comes in handy when I’m working with my classmates late into the night and they decide to stay. It is a little lonely, but I don’t have much time to dwell on it.”

“At least you’ll be less lonely with me here!”

Akaashi paused with the futon in his arms after yanking it out of the closet. He pressed his lips together and regarded Bokuto for a moment.

“Perhaps. I did miss having you around.”

Bokuto fought against the urge to rush across the room and embrace him in a bone-crushing hug. He hated the wall that had been built between him, and he wanted to crush it into rubble like Godzilla or something. But doing something like that could potentially hurt Akaashi, so he responded only with a smile. When Akaashi smiled back, he swore he could hear an angelic chorus in the background.

The first couple days living with Akaashi were a little awkward. Bokuto tried his hardest to be a model guest and remain as quiet and unobtrusive as he could possibly be. Unfortunately, that proved to be an even greater distraction as Akaashi’s head jerked toward him every few minutes to make sure he was okay.

Eventually, Bokuto forgot about being completely quiet and would hum a song to himself as he played a game on his laptop. When he realized he was making noise and glanced up to apologize to Akaashi, he found him typing away on his laptop with a calm smile on his face. He watched him work for several minutes, realizing he had never seen Akaashi focus on something so intently that wasn’t volleyball.

He wore headphones over his ears, but from what he told Bokuto he wasn’t listening to anything but some white noise to help him concentrate. His hair sprang up around them in a cute way, as if the headphones were trying to subdue his raven locks and were failing miserably. As Akaashi’s eyes swiveled back and forth across his screen, his eyebrows seemed perpetually pinched together and Bokuto wondered if it ever gave him a headache. Occasionally, his face would soften as he nodded to himself, and whenever he had a good idea he would lean back in his chair and press his finger to his lips, only resuming his typing until he thought it through.

After a while, Akaashi felt his eyes on him and glanced his way. Bokuto flinched and scratched his head as he mumbled out an apology. He bit his lip as he immersed himself in his game, occasionally glancing back up to see Akaashi focusing on his work.

Bokuto began feeling guilty for imposing on Akaashi and wracked his brain to come up with ways of paying him back for his kindness. It struck him how, after all their years of friendship, he had hardly ever done anything for Akaashi and the realization formed a pit in his stomach. He decided to start small, making sure his area was clean and then began helping Akaashi with any of his own clutter. He wasn’t even sure Akaashi noticed with how much he studied, but he continued to do it anyway knowing that a cleaner environment was good for the soul. At least that’s what his mother always told him when she scolded him for his messy room.

Most of the time they ate separately at the cafeteria because of their opposing schedules. Whenever they had the chance to eat dinner together, however, Bokuto insisted on paying for delivery or dragged Akaashi to a nearby restaurant. It was then that he noticed Akaashi’s skin looking a little healthier than it had been, and a smile would linger on his face more often than a frown.

 _I must be doing something right!_ Bokuto mentally cheered. With his puffed-out chest, he looked like a bird preening from attention. He used to feel that way whenever Akaashi did something for him, but he realized that switching the tables around felt even better. Suddenly he wanted to spoil Akaashi rotten until even the stress of school could no longer affect him.

After a week of living with Akaashi, the atmosphere in the room seemed almost natural, as if Bokuto had been there all year. There were no more cautious glances between them, and Akaashi had even found some time to help Bokuto with his studies, knowing that without his help his grades had certainly suffered.

They moved the futon closer to the bed and sat across it with their backs against Akaashi’s bed. Together they tore through his multiple subjects, Akaashi reviewing some tests and going over the mistakes he made until Bokuto understood.

“I wish the professor had said it like that,” He huffed as he scribbled Akaashi’s advice into the margin of his notebook. “You’re a much better teacher than him.”

“I doubt that. It’s just that I know how you think.”

“It’s more than that, you’re a good teacher. I’m surprised you didn’t go into that!”

“Ah, I actually considered it for a time, but I always had more of an interest in the medical profession.”

“Hmm, maybe one day you’ll teach students how to do doctor things.”

Akaashi snorted and nudged him with his elbow. Bokuto paused in his writing to peek beside him, observing the brightness of Akaashi’s cheeks and his smile as he gazed off into the distance.

“Yeah, maybe I will… one day,” Akaashi murmured as he lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck with a grimace.

“Are you alright?”

“Fine, it’s just a little sore from staring down at the books.”

Bokuto dropped his pencil and shuffled closer so he could reach both his hands to cover Akaashi’s shoulders. As soon as they touched, Akaashi hunched like a turtle and looked at him in alarm.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you a massage, of course.”

“Y-You don’t have to.”

“I know, but I want to. It’s the least I can do when you’re doing me a favor.”

“Really, Bokuto-san, there’s no reason to go so far.”

“Why? Isn’t it normal to do things for someone you care about?” Bokuto asked as he cocked his head at Akaashi. He was startled when he thought for a moment that Akaashi was going to cry the way his eyebrows creased up and his mouth dropped open. After a moment, he fluttered his eyes and cleared his throat, turning his head away from Bokuto.

“You can do what you want,” He said so softly Bokuto almost didn’t hear it. He didn’t start massaging right away, instead rubbing Akaashi’s back in soothing circles. He had never seen Akaashi look so vulnerable, except when he had confessed to him. It felt like he was holding a baby rabbit in his hands, and he needed to treat him tenderly.

Under his steady touch, the muscles in Akaashi’s back began to relax as he let out a sigh. Slowly Bokuto made his way back up to his shoulders, kneading a little harder with his thumbs. Akaashi’s eyes began to droop, and his head bobbed from the movement as the tension began to melt away. Bokuto bit his lip and focused on certain areas, determined to work out the knots coiled under his fingers.

He grinned as he felt the residual stress fade away and an added pressure against his hands as Akaashi leaned into his touch. He sighed, feeling a wave of relief sweep over him. Even though the tension had eased between them, it was the first time Akaashi had felt completely comfortable with him touching him.

His fingers slid around the base of his neck to knead the sensitive area there, and Akaashi released a breathy moan. Bokuto’s eyes widened in shock, having just enough awareness to continue moving his fingers. He never would have imagined such a sexy noise coming from Akaashi, and it lit a fire inside him that quickly spread through his body. He licked his lips and drew in several deep breaths, hoping to slow his heart rate down that had skyrocketed at the unexpected sound.

“Right there, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi gasped, and Bokuto instantly broke out into a sweat.

“O-Oh, okay. How’s this?”

“Mmm, so good.”

Bokuto worried his teeth might bore a hole in his lip with how tightly he bit into it. He glared furiously at his fingers, forcing himself to concentrate only on them. It was difficult when Akaashi leaned his head back and tickled his hands with his soft hair. In that position, Bokuto received a perfect view of his elegant neck, curled back almost like an invitation. His mouth watered at the thought of pressing his lips against his pale skin, gently at first but eventually leaving a mark.

“I think that’s enough,” Akaashi said finally, his words almost slurring in his relaxed state.

“Are you sure? You seem to be enjoying it.”

“Yes, but if you keep doing it I’ll probably fall asleep,” He laughed softly, and Bokuto couldn’t tear his eyes away from his lips. When Akaashi fluttered his eyes open, Bokuto jerked back and cleared his throat, trying to look nonchalant.

“So, you, uh, feel better?”

“Much better. Thank you,” Akaashi said breathlessly with a smile. Bokuto felt all the air escape from his lungs as Akaashi gazed at him, leaning his head against the bed. His emerald eyes had darkened, and his cheeks were flushed though he hadn’t overexerted himself at all. The whole vision of him was captivating, and it took Akaashi calling his name several times before he could be shaken from his stupor.

“What?”

“You were staring at me. Do I have something on my face?” He asked, pursing his lips in concern.

_Shit, he’s adorable._

“No! You have nothing on your face. It’s just, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so chill.”

Akaashi laughed softly as he stretched his arms up toward the ceiling.

“I can’t remember the last time I have been. Unfortunately, we have to get back to work.”

“Oh, okay,” Bokuto said, shuffling a few inches away and fumbling with his books. The rest of their study session didn’t go as well, his mind consumed with the man next to him instead of his subjects. He was hyper-aware of every graze of Akaashi’s fingers as he pointed to something in his notebook. His entire body shivered when he felt Akaashi’s warm breath graze down his neck as he explained a couple problems. Finally, Akaashi decided that perhaps it was best to quit since they weren’t getting anywhere, and Bokuto emphatically agreed.

For the rest of the evening, he tried messing around on the internet or switched between games, but nothing could hold his attention for long. His gaze continuously drifted up to Akaashi’s back as he sat at his desk. Not once in his whole life did another person hold his thoughts captive as Akaashi was, and he couldn’t understand why. Not even his crush on Terushima or Daichi could compare, and he hoped he could figure it out soon before he messes everything up again.

 

The next day, Bokuto was distracted all through practice. If he even managed to spike the ball, usually it was received or went out of bounds. He was thankful the Coach didn’t pull him off the court, that would have made his mood worse, though he could feel his eyes burning a hole in his back.

While they stretched, he glanced across the gym at Kuroo. His chest ached to see his friend and not being able to talk to him. He _could_ talk to him, there was really nothing stopping him. If the thoughts ravaging his mind had been about anything but Akaashi, he would have reached out to him in a heartbeat. But a part of him always felt a deep sense of loss at refusing Akaashi’s confession, and he wondered how much of his refusal was more Kuroo’s influence than his own feelings.

Despite not wanting to discuss it with Kuroo, he still missed his friend. He could tell the Bedhead had been down in the dumps since he left, and he hated that it was his fault. The need to figure things out with Akaashi became more urgent than ever so he could solve it and return to Kuroo. Then hopefully everything would be made right again.

The Captain called for them all to pack up and get in the showers and his teammates all groaned as they forced themselves to their feet, exhausted from the grueling practice. Bokuto pursed his lips as he watched Kuroo remain on the ground, his gaze locked somewhere across the gym though his mind seemed miles away. Bokuto nearly caved and rushed over to him when he noticed Daichi crouch in front of him instead.

He slid his hand into Kuroo’s sweat-damp hair, something that made Bokuto cringe, but it didn’t seem to bother Daichi as he smiled at Kuroo with such warmth it could melt the coldest glacier. Kuroo’s face softened as he tilted his head into Daichi’s hand. He said something, too quiet for Bokuto to hear, and Daichi scrunched up his nose, slid his hand down Kuroo’s face and shoved it back. Kuroo’s cackle filled the gym, and Bokuto watched as he scrambled to his feet to chase after Daichi’s retreating figure.

Bokuto smiled, relieved that Kuroo had Daichi in his life. To be honest, not much had changed between them after they started dating. The differences were subtle: Kuroo’s hand lingering on Daichi’s back and slowly drifting lower than it should in a public environment, their eyes locked in silent conversations that could last for an hour if uninterrupted, and even the general atmosphere between them was constantly warm and intimate. Bokuto regretted ever developing a crush on Daichi and telling Kuroo about it. Whatever he imagined Daichi had felt for him, it wasn’t even on the same spectrum of what he obviously felt for Kuroo.

_Well, if anything maybe I lit a fire under Kuroo’s ass to realize his feelings._

He startled when he realized he was still sitting on the floor of the empty gym and hopped to his feet. Most of the team was already done with their showers when he finally slipped into the locker room, and his upperclassmen hassled him to get moving as he shuffled past them. He yanked his locker open and pulled his soaked shirt over his head. As he removed more clothing, his movements slowed as his thoughts of Akaashi consumed him once again.

He wasn’t even sure _what_ conclusion he was trying to come to, and what it would mean. All he could think about was how soft Akaashi’s hair looked the other night, the darkness of his typically bright green eyes, and how he itched to run his fingers across his pale skin. He craved to affect Akaashi in any way he could, help him relax with a soft touch or make him gasp with intense pleasure.

Bokuto coughed in his hand and slammed his locker shut. The last thought lit his skin on fire, and a wave of guilt flowed over him for thinking of Akaashi that way. He needed to sort through this before he does something that would hurt his dear friend even more than he already had.

“You alright, Kou-san?” Noya chirped next to him as water droplets sprayed everywhere with a shake of his head.

“Oh, I’m fine. Just thinking about a lot.”

“Well, if you want to talk about it I’m always here!”

“Thanks, um, actually I wouldn’t mind asking you something.”

“Sure!”

“You have a lot of good friends, right? Your loud monk buddy from Karasuno especially.”

“Oh yeah! Ryuu and I are best buds! I’m still close with most of the old team, though I don’t get to see them as much.”

“How did you know your feelings for Yaku were different?”

Nishinoya raised his eyebrows, surprised at first but hummed as he seriously considered the question.

“When I met Mori-san, I was a little star-struck, to be honest. It’s not often I see a Libero as skilled as he is, and I made it my mission to be just as good or better! The more I got to know him, though, my feelings for him started to change. It was still competitive, I never stopped wanting to reach his level, but I noticed my heart racing every time I saw him. I would get super excited whenever he looked at me or acknowledged me! And then I started noticing looks he’d give me back, almost tender. It was weird, no one had ever looked at me that way, and it made me want to kiss him! So, I knew then that it wasn’t just friendship or simple idolization.”

Bokuto listened intently to Nishinoya’s explanation, and as similarities between their situations cropped up, his heart began to pound.

“So, there’s someone I always thought of as just a friend, but he keeps popping into my head lately. I’ve always been a touchy guy, but I _crave_ to touch him constantly. I want to hug him, but also touch his face and his hair. I want to do anything I can to please him, and my heart won’t stop racing when I’m around him. And lately…” Bokuto gulped, glancing quickly around the locker room and leaning closer to Nishinoya to whisper, “I want to do really dirty things to him. What do I do?”

Nishinoya snickered and cupped his hands around his mouth like he was about to divulge a secret.

“You bang him, Kou-san!” He yelled so everyone still present in the small space could hear. Nishinoya’s laughter rang out as whistles and cheers erupted from their upperclassmen, but Bokuto hardly heard them as he came to terms with the truth.

“I can’t bang him! He’s precious, I would never take advantage of him.”

“Who said you’d be taking advantage of him? You’re obviously falling in love with him if you’re not already, and I know that you’d never treat a lover wrong! I say you go for it. If he doesn’t shy away from your attention he probably wants the same things you do.”

“But, I already refused him once and he told me he was going to get over me,” Bokuto sighed, hanging his head as he fell onto the bench.

“Oh! Is it Keiji? I doubt he’s over you, so just go for it.”

“But if he refuses me it really could be the end of our friendship.”

Nishinoya grabbed his shoulders and forced him to sit up straight. His bright eyes held Bokuto captive as he exuded waves of determination.

“You need to be brave! You need to fight for what you want in this world, and if you want Keiji you go get him, Kou-san!”

Bokuto’s eyes widened as he felt his courage swell like a geyser.

“Yes! I’m going to get him!” He cheered as he wrapped Nishinoya in his arms and spun him around. The Libero squeaked in his hold and gasped for air when Bokuto finally set him down.

“You might want to shower first. You don’t want to give him an excuse to refuse you.”

“Oh, right! Thanks, Noya!” Bokuto called over his shoulder as he ran to the showers, tossing the last of his clothes off and letting them fall to the floor like a trail of breadcrumbs. He’d never showered so fast in his life, but he was careful to clean everything, so he didn’t stink at all. As soon as he shut the water off, he grabbed his towel and ran it over him, missing large sections of his body as he hopped back to his locker. Ignoring the fact that he was still quite wet, he pulled on his clean clothes, snatched the rest of his things and slammed his locker shut to race out of the locker room.

By the time he reached Akaashi’s dorm, his lungs were burning from running across campus, especially after having a grueling volleyball practice. He couldn’t worry about that though, not when he had a speech to give Akaashi. He didn’t stop running, despite the odd looks he received in the hallways until he, at last, he reached Akaashi’s room. He yanked out his extra key and jammed it into the doorknob, a confession nearly bursting from his lips as he finally burst through the door.

“AKAAASHI!” He shouted and groaned when he found the room dark and empty. Using his foot to kick the door shut, he huffed out his frustration as he trudged across the room and landed in a heap on his futon. As his body began to cool down, he shivered, finally realizing how damp his clothes were and how chilly the air was. He sighed and reluctantly peeled himself from his temporary bed and began stripping his clothes all over again.

Goosebumps fluttered over his skin, and after drying off his bottom half he decided to yank on a pair of sweats. The last thing he needed was to catch another cold. He already felt warmer as he draped his towel over his head and rubbed the rest of the water out of his hair.

He heard the door open across the room, and as he turned toward it he flinched when it immediately slammed shut again. He lifted the towel up, so he could see, but found no one else in the room but himself. He frowned, certain he hadn’t imagined the abrupt noise and crossed the room to investigate.

He licked his lips as he opened the door slowly, edging his face out just enough to see both ways down the hallway. Flat against the wall was Akaashi, refusing to look his way even though he could clearly tell Bokuto was there. His cheeks grew brighter as the moments ticked away, and Bokuto’s surprise was overcome with curiosity.

“Um, are you going to come in?”

“Go ahead and finish getting dressed, Bokuto-san. Then just let me know when you’re done, and I’ll come back in.”

“Why not just come in while I get dressed? It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

“I know! It just-- it caught me off-guard. I’ll be fine. Please just go ahead.”

“Nope,” Bokuto said and before Akaashi could protest he grabbed his hand and yanked him into the room. “I have things to say and I’m not going to wait another minute to say them,” He huffed and pouted when he saw that Akaashi had squeezed his eyes shut.

“Okay, I’m listening.”

Bokuto’s frown deepened, but after a moment he realized he could stare at Akaashi’s face without him seeing. He never noticed how long his eyelashes were as they fanned out over his cheek. Akaashi’s bottom lip was caught in his teeth, and Bokuto could no longer hold himself back as he reached out and cupped Akaashi’s chin. He heard a quick intake of breath at the touch, but Akaashi didn’t pull away. Bokuto grazed his thumb just under his lip, gently pulling it free from the confines of his teeth.

The desire to kiss him was overwhelming, but Bokuto quelled it with several deep breaths. He was determined to tell him how he felt before kissing him, he didn’t want anything to be misunderstood.

“Akaashi?”

“Yes?”

“Please look at me?”

Akaashi sighed and squeezed his eyes a little tighter, shaking his head slightly.

“I can’t, not yet.”

He slipped his hands up to Akaashi’s cheeks, cupping them gently and tilting his face upwards.

“Akaashi,” He whispered and waited patiently. Akaashi’s face softened as his eyes finally fluttered open. He winced at the closeness of their faces and tried to pull away.

“Please? It’s too much.”

“Just bear with me for a minute. I need to talk to you and I need you to listen, okay?” He could feel Akaashi’s pulse racing beneath his fingers and his eye movement seemed jerky as he tried looking for an escape. Finally, he licked his lips and gave a little nod, forcing his eyes to meet Bokuto’s.

“Fine, say what you need to, Bokuto-san.”

“I lied to you.”

Akaashi blinked in surprise; whatever he thought Bokuto was going to say, it wasn’t that.

“You lied to me? About what?”

“Well, sort of. That day you found me in the Library, I was actually about to go home and make-up with Kuroo since I was no longer mad at him. But when you offered me a place to stay, I postponed it because I missed you so much. I’ll understand if you’re angry with me, but please don’t abandon me like before, my heart couldn’t take it. This past week has been magical with you, and it made me realize several things. First, my feelings for you are definitely not just friendship.”

Akaashi gasped at the declaration and his face pinched up like he was about to cry. Bokuto bolstered his courage to continue, hoping that he could keep Akaashi from being sad.

“My heart races every time I see you, and my first instinct is to wrap you up in my arms and not let you go. I would literally do anything to take away your stress, even if you needed a personal punching bag, I’m there for you Akaashi! And not just all that, but these past few days all I want to do is kiss you! Like, what kind of a person wants to kiss another if they’re _just_ friends?!

I know I don’t deserve you, especially after rejecting you in the first place, which was a total mistake. If I had just eased into it I’m sure I would have realized my feelings much sooner, and I feel so stupid looking back on it. I’ll understand if you’ve moved on and no longer feel the same. I treated you so badly, after all. But if there’s the slightest chance you still love me, then will you let me love you back, and kiss you and do other things?”

Akaashi’s lips were pursed so tightly they were almost white. He gave a little whine and drew in a shuddering breath, but he still couldn’t say anything.

“Um, was that a yes?”

Akaashi nodded his head vigorously and Bokuto laughed softly as he took a step closer.

“You need to release those lips if I’m going to kiss them.”

With a gulp, Akaashi relaxed his lips, and before he could even draw a breath Bokuto pulled him into a deep kiss.  Akaashi hummed in relief at the tender contact, and Bokuto couldn’t resist grinning against Akaashi’s lips. He dropped his hands from his cheeks and wrapped his arms around Akaashi’s waist, pulling him flat against him. What he didn’t expect was for Akaashi to throw his arms around his neck and practically jump into his arms.

With a deep breath, Akaashi opened his mouth wider, coaxing Bokuto to do the same so he could slip his tongue in. One of his hands raked through Bokuto’s damp hair, and he emitted a low growl in his throat as Akaashi gave it a little tug.

He couldn’t believe how amazing it felt to be kissing Akaashi. His hands continued to rub and grip across Akaashi’s back, feeling the lean muscle underneath his palms. As he continued to gain a little courage, he slid one of his hands down Akaashi’s spine until it reached the top of his jeans. In one quick movement, he reached lower and grabbed a handful of Akaashi’s butt.

Akaashi gasped between their lips and immediately Bokuto pulled back and jerked his hand away.

“I’m sorry!”

Akaashi blinked at him in surprise and then stifled a snort into his hand.

“You’re sorry? You don’t need to be, it just surprised me.”

“Honestly, I won’t do it again. I don’t want to push you too far, I’m sorry I got excited.”

Suddenly, Akaashi’s entire demeanor changed as he stiffened his back and narrowed his eyes at Bokuto. He hadn’t been on the receiving end of that look for a long time, and it made him feel as small as a mouse.

“What about what I want, Bokuto-san?”

“Oh! I’ll do whatever you want! Just name it!”

Akaashi’s eyes remained sharp and intense as his lips curled into a smile.

“Good.”

The room blurred as Bokuto was tossed down onto Akaashi’s bed. He sat straight up in surprise, but his mouth dropped open as Akaashi locked his eyes on him and began to peel his shirt over his head. As his shirt rode up, he revealed his slender torso, knotted with muscle that Bokuto craved to rake his fingers over.

Once the shirt was completely off, he sauntered over to Bokuto and slipped his knees onto the mattress on either side of him until he was finally settled on Bokuto’s lap. Bokuto thought he was going to have a heart attack as Akaashi smiled down at him and slid his fingers into Bokuto’s hair.

“This is what I want. I’m sick of waiting, I want you to take me, Bokuto-san. _Right now_ ,” He breathed, lighting Bokuto’s skin on fire as he gently grabbed onto his lower lip with his teeth. Bokuto groaned until Akaashi finally released it from his grasp. He wrapped his arms tighter around Akaashi’s waist and pulled him closer, nuzzling his face up to Akaashi’s until their lips met tenderly.

“As you wish,” He whispered, pressing kisses against his jaw and gradually made his way down Akaashi’s neck.

 

_Back to the present…_

“And then I started to unbuckle his jeans, so I could reach in and touch his—"

“Oh my God, stop!” Kuroo cried as he buried his head underneath his pillow and clamped it shut over his ears.

“What, you don’t want to hear anymore? It was so hot!”

“We believe you,” Daichi grunted, burying his red face into his palm. “But we’ve been trying to stop you for the past five minutes.”

“Oh, sorry,” Bokuto laughed sheepishly. “I’m just so excited Akaashi and I are finally together.”

“I’m glad you are, too. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you so happy.”

“I know! I didn’t realize how lost I without Akaashi by my side. Even after we, uh, you know, it was really special just spending time with him and snuggling. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Daichi chuckled as he glanced next to him only to find Kuroo still buried underneath his pillow. He rolled his eyes and reached down to pinch Kuroo’s thigh.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“The sex part is over, get up.”

“Oh? Did you listen to the whole story? Daichi, I had no idea you enjoyed that kind of thing,” He purred as he sat up and nuzzled into Daichi’s ear.

“Shut up, he stopped right after you hid,” He grumbled, but did nothing to ease his face away from Kuroo’s. His phone _pinged_ in his pocket, and he pulled it out to find a text from Matsukawa. “Ah, Matsukawa’s hungry and suggested we get delivery. Did you guys want in?”

“Oh, yeah! Sounds great!” Bokuto cheered. “I’m starving!”

“You’re both chipping in though,” Daichi said as he typed a message back and chuckled as they both groaned.

“Come on, Baby, can’t you treat me tonight?”

“I treated you last time, it’s your turn to treat me. And no amount of calling me _Baby_ is going to make me forget it.”

Kuroo groaned and buried his head into Daichi’s shoulder, and Daichi instinctually slipped his hand up into Kuroo’s hair.

“Actually, I’ll get Kuroo’s this time. I owe him for making him think I was mad at him for two weeks.”

“Wouldn’t I owe you for not letting you get with Akaashi in the first place?”

“Oh! Good point! Looks like you’re paying for me and Sawamura!”

Daichi snorted at the dismayed look on Kuroo’s face and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Good luck sorting that out. Text me what you guys want soon or you’re not getting anything.”

He stood up from the bed and grabbed his jacket as he walked to the door.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yeah, I’ll just be at my place. Come on over when you guys are ready. Bokuto, I’m glad you’re back,” He said as he smiled at his friend and felt overwhelming relief when Bokuto grinned back.

“Yeah! I’m glad to be back! See ya later, Sawamura!”

As the door shut behind him, Kuroo and Bokuto regarded each other nervously.

“I--”

“Um--” They both said in unison and chuckled because of the awkwardness.

“You first, Bo.”

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“You already said that, I understand you had to go MIA to get laid.”

“Oh, no, not that. I’m sorry that I had a little crush on Sawamura and didn’t realize that you two were already married basically.”

“Ha! If it makes you feel better, I didn’t know we were either.”

“You look really good together, and you seem to really make each other happy.”

“We do,” Kuroo admitted, his voice quiet as he felt his cheeks heat up. “You too! I’m relieved that you’re finally with the perfect person.”

“You… you mean that?” Bokuto asked as he leaned forward. “I was worried you’d be disappointed, I know you never thought we’d work well together--”

“No! I don’t feel that way at all anymore! I seriously think everything is exactly as it should be, despite my disastrous efforts to match people up. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy.”

“I know. I never once thought you a bad friend, Kuroo. A bit of an idiot, maybe, but I still think you’re awesome.”

Kuroo laughed and shook his head.

“I’ll take it.” He almost felt exhausted from his intense relief. Bokuto doesn’t hate him and he found someone he loves and loves him back nonetheless. Daichi belongs to him and he’s going to make sure everyone knows it.

Another _ping_ interrupted their thoughts, this time the offending noise coming from his own pocket. He slipped it out and gasped as he read it.

“Shit, we need to tell Daichi what we want, or we get nothing.”

“Oh! Why don’t we just go over there? It’ll be quicker.”

“Better grab your cash.”

“I thought you were paying for me!”

“I’m still broke from your birthday! I’ll get you another time, I promise.”

“Alright, you definitely owe me for getting you and Sawamura together.”

“What?! How did you have a hand in it?”

“Come on, if I hadn’t made you so jealous you probably wouldn’t have confessed. Admit it, I’m the best wingman of the century!”

“Dude, I name you the best _cockblocker_ of the century. Do you realize how many times you interrupted us from kissing or doing more?”

Bokuto roared with laughter, the lively sound filling the entire space of the hallway as they wandered toward Daichi’s room. Kuroo grinned widely as he listened to it, despite it being at his expense.

“If you get that printed on a badge, I will gladly wear it.”’

“Pfft, you would. Just don’t make it a habit, Buddy, I’m still pissed that after everything you still got laid before I did.”

Bokuto stopped mid-step and spun around, his eyes wide as two searchlights.

“You mean you two _still_ haven’t done--!” Bokuto shouted until Kuroo slapped his palm over his mouth.

“Shhh, yes! Now pipe down, you don’t have to announce it!”

Bokuto snorted into his hand, and Kuroo recoiled it in disgust. His _friend_ continued to laugh at him until he had tears streaming down his face and he clung to the wall to remain upright.

“Oh, that’s so amazing. You must be so frustrated! Well, don’t worry, Kuroo. Akaashi said I can stay with him this weekend, so maybe you’ll finally get your chance. Do you need any tips? A pep talk?”

“Get away from me before I beat the shit out of you.”

Bokuto cackled with glee and burst into Daichi and Matsukawa’s room without even knocking. Kuroo chased after him before he could say anything else and embarrass him even more. Luckily, Bokuto had taken a seat beside Matsukawa and was already retelling the story about he and Akaashi got together.

Kuroo rolled his eyes as a smirk spread on his lips. Instead of sitting next to Daichi, he stretched out over the length of the bed and settled his head in his lap. He hummed and closed his eyes as he felt the familiar graze of fingers run through his hair.

“Well, Kuroo, it looks like you can finally be called the worst matchmaker in history,” Matsukawa said, his deep voice dripping with amusement. Kuroo opened his eyes to glare at him.

“I’m sure I’m not the worst. Everything turned out okay, right?”

“I feel like there would have been fewer tears without your involvement.”

“Perhaps, although…” He drifted off as he sat up. “You know, Oikawa mentioned in passing that it was my blossoming romance with Daichi that influenced him to get back together with you. So, technically I brought the two of you together.”

Matsukawa stared at him, his thick eyebrows pinched together as his mouth dropped open.

“No, that’s not how it—”

“Of course! It was yet _another_ successful matchmaking! It was only one I got wrong, so that’s two out of three. Eyebrows, I will gladly give a toast at your wedding as the person responsible for bringing you together with the one you love.”

Halfway through his speech, Matsukawa pulled out his phone.

“What are you doing?” Daichi asked curiously.

“Breaking up with Oikawa.”

Daichi rolled his eyes and gave Kuroo a _look_.

“Oh, don’t be like that! Okay, I’ll be satisfied with just being a groomsman.”

Matsukawa paused in his text to regard him thoughtfully.

“If you promise never to set anyone up again, I’ll consider letting you hand out programs.”

“Deal!”

“So, you’ll listen to Matsukawa, but not your own boyfriend?” Daichi asked, his cool voice setting off warning bells in Kuroo’s head.

“Oh, Daichi, you know I was only saying all that to tease him,” He cooed as he wrapped his arm around him and gave him most charming smile. Daichi’s eyes narrowed though his lips began curling up. “Seriously, the only relationship I’m interested in is our own.”

“Ugh, gross,” Bokuto whined.

“I knew I shouldn’t have let him in here,” Matsukawa muttered under his breath.

Daichi laughed and nudged him with his arm.

“I’ll hold you to that. Now pick something out to eat already, I’m starving!”

Kuroo snickered as he leaned toward him, planting a kiss into his hair.

_Yup, this is all I need._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray!! I hope the ending was satisfying. I may have clawed my hair out trying to tie it up, lol. But I'm happy :D  
> I'm actually really pleased I was able to get Bokuto laid in time for his birthday ;) Ha ha, congrats Bo!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Matsukawa's chapter! I tried to make it obvious where in the story each scene took place, so I hope it's not confusing. When I first mentioned doing this chapter, I thought for sure it would be funny seeing Matsukawa's perspective on the ridiculousness, but it really didn't end up that way. I'm sorry if it gets a lot more angsty than I intended, but it's got a happy ending!

It was a blessed break from the grueling mountain of work Matsukawa had to do but watching Daichi and his teammates play in their first big game of the season infused him with many conflicted feelings. He missed the atmosphere, the deafening cheers of the spectators, the shouts calling for the ball, the squeak of shoes as the players flowed around each other in an impromptu dance of skill.

It also felt wrong to be so far away from the court. He craved to feel the pull of his own muscles as he stretched his hands over the net. The sting on his palm as he smacked a ball down was even sweeter when he smirked in the face of his dismayed opponent. Instead, he had to watch Kuroo have that satisfaction.

At least Daichi had a way of yanking him away from his desk on their free weekend for unofficial games with random players he knew in high school. It wasn’t much, but it was a refreshing reminder of who he really was. His major was difficult, and it had a way of consuming a student’s entire life until they become a zombie mumbling out a string of diseases with their various treatment options.

There was another side effect that came from his choice to study medicine, one far more complicated than missing volleyball. His first semester last year was overwhelming, and after losing sleep and canceling every scheduled date with his long-term boyfriend, he decided to call it quits on their relationship. It wasn’t that he didn’t love Oikawa; he was certain he would never love anyone the same again. But Oikawa was a vivacious young man, charismatic and addicting in ways that it felt like he’d be imprisoning in a tiny birdcage if they continued.

Oikawa himself didn’t see it the same way. He had been surprisingly optimistic about their chances, despite never having the chance to see each other. Whenever they did, Matsukawa would either be grouchy or falling asleep and he could see the toll it was taking on Oikawa whether he admitted it or not.  

He knew he made the right choice to end it, but he’ll never forget the look on Oikawa’s face. His handsome face was marred with tears, pinched as he stared at Matsukawa through disbelieving eyes. Those lovely eyes that used to hold such mischief and tenderness, it seemed so wrong to see them gaze back at him with such betrayal. _It’s for the best…_ he kept repeating, out loud and to himself. He still repeated those words despite their break-up being a whole year ago.

It was a relief at first, one of his many worries released from his mind like a balloon fluttering toward the sky. He could finally concentrate just on his schoolwork, and he trusted Oikawa to pick himself up and move on. It was when he began noticing the signs of Oikawa moving on pasted all over social media that he realized his heart was still tethered to the other man and it was breaking all over again.

Suddenly people on either side of him rose to their feet and cheered, yanking him out his dark thoughts and reminding him that he should be watching the game. From the way their team seemed to be celebrating, he must have missed a good shot. He craned his head to see the scoreboard; at that point, it was unlikely the opposing team would be able to catch up.

Matsukawa apologized to the person next to him as he stood and began to climb over people to reach the aisle. He needed some air and a change of scenery. Why was it that whenever he was in a good mood it could be spoiled by a simple train of thought? It was almost like he was standing on a majestic mountain peak, admiring the view, and someone shoved him off the edge. On the other end of the spectrum, dwelling in a bad mood was like being at the base of a mountain with no logical way of climbing up it.

Stepping out of the gym, he was blinded by the radiant spring sun. He greeted it back with a series of sneezes. He groaned as he rubbed his nose and shoved his hands into his pockets, wandering down the path with no destination in mind. The university had planted a row of cherry trees through the campus center, and he paused to observe them like a normal human being.

_Lovely, these little blossoms of delicate pink… I hate them._

Two girls stood several feet from him, snapping a million pictures on their phones as they tried to get the perfect shot.

_Why not just take a moment, adjust your view and snap one good photo? They’re going to fill their whole fucking storage with blurry, pink vomit._

A flirtatious giggle interrupted his criticisms of the amateur photographers, and he noticed a couple wandering through the grove with their hands clasped between them. The girl was chattering on about something, she seemed to switch subjects so often he couldn’t even keep track. He snickered and glanced at the boy next to her, expecting him to be just as confused. Instead, the boy beamed down at her and Matsukawa realized he was just happy to see her enthusiasm and it didn’t matter so much what she was actually saying.

His mind went blank, unable to think of any criticisms to force on the couple. His chest ached as a result and he trudged on to find some other outlet to make himself feel better. He had seen the genuine serenity on the young man’s face as he gazed down at his girlfriend. He knew what it felt like, to be amused by the person he loved and simply enjoyed the sound of their voice. He missed Oikawa’s voice, even after all this time.

_It’ll get better… it was for the best… I’ll be fine… he’ll be fine…_

If mantras were supposed to make one feel better, Matsukawa needed some new ones.

 

Matsukawa chewed mindlessly on his bland take-out as he stared at his screen until his vision grew blurry. It was eerily quiet in the room with Daichi gone, but he knew he was meeting his classmates at the cafeteria to work on a group project. There was no telling how long he’ll be gone, so he contemplated going to bed early for once since he never seemed to get enough sleep.

He tossed the empty container into the trash can and stretched toward the ceiling with a groan. He felt like he was finally getting used to his course load and had managed to sort out his time management. With his new-found skills in surviving his major, Matsukawa found great enjoyment in trying to help his poor little kouhais as they struggled through their first year. He connected with Akaashi easily, and he had more problems to deal with than any of them as he struggled to stay afloat in the midst of heartbreak.

Matsukawa was still pissed about that. He had witnessed Bokuto and Akaashi together before, and he had no doubts that Bokuto adored him. Who died and made Kuroo the so-called God of Love that he would interfere the way he did? He was more like the God of Mischief than anything else, and it took everything he had not to kick his ass for what he did.

Daichi himself was currently giving Kuroo the cold shoulder, but Matsukawa knew it was about killing him. He couldn’t fathom why his practical friend was madly in love with Kuroo, to the point that everyone knew about it except the weird-haired idiot himself. He was past the point of hoping Daichi would get over it and move on; his poor friend was a lost soul.

Matsukawa settled back in his bed with a sigh, enjoying the feeling of resting without being painfully exhausted. The door opened, revealing Daichi with his face flushed bright red. Matsukawa hoisted himself on his elbows and observed him closely, noting the pursed lips and excited light in his eyes.

“Let me guess…  you made up with Kuroo?”

“Yes,” Daichi sighed as he slipped out of his shoes and ran to his bed. Matsukawa arched an eyebrow at him, unimpressed with his maiden-like reactions.

“You look like you want to tell me what happened. Did he finally realize he’s in love with you in your absence and confess?”

The elated look on Daichi’s face faded as his shoulders drooped dramatically low.

“No, nothing like that,” He huffed, and Matsukawa snorted into his hand.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring you down like that. Tell me what happened.”

“Well, we met outside by chance, and he looked really sad. So, we talked it over and we both apologized--”

“What did you apologize for?”

“For ignoring him.”

“You didn’t ignore him completely.”

“No, but I wasn’t very friendly with him.”

“Oh, the poor baby,” Matsukawa deadpanned, and Daichi rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

“He apologized as well. He felt bad for Akaashi after everything.”

“Is he going to have Bokuto reconsider?”

Daichi winced and scratched his head.

“Uh… not exactly. He’s still planning on setting him up with Terushima.”

Matsukawa released a long breath that reverberated in his throat like a growl.

“Sawamura, I respect you completely. But can’t you have a crush on someone more intelligent?”

“He’s not stupid! Seriously, he’s one of the smartest people I know. He just gets these ideas sometimes and it’s nearly impossible to convince him otherwise.”

“I get it, so why were you so excited? Just because you made up?”

“No, I did something stupid.”

“And _that’s_ what excited you?”

“No! He was still a little down, so I grabbed his hand without thinking to pull him into the dorm. But then I didn’t let go, and he didn’t pull away. We held hands all the way inside until we got to the stairs,” He said, his face growing brighter as he reminisced on the moment.

“What… the… hell. Are you a thirteen-year-old girl?!”

“I know! I can’t help it,” Daichi groaned and buried his tomato face in his hands. Matsukawa sputtered with laughter, unable to contain himself any longer. Daichi slid his hands down to glower at him, but it only made him laugh harder.

“Wow, hand-holding, that’s so exciting! So, when’s the wedding?” Matsukawa wheezed, regretting it instantly when Daichi grabbed his pillow and surged toward him. His laughter finally died down as wrestled with Daichi, straining his muscles to keep his incredibly solid roommate from smothering to death. “Alright! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Daichi finally eased off with a sniff and marched back to his bed.

“That wasn’t even the end of it,” He mumbled.

“What happened next?”

“Well, he was teasing me about something, I told him off and he yelled out ‘Love you, too!’. He didn’t mean it like that, he said it so easily and he was laughing. It just made me wish he meant it.”

Matsukawa sighed and sat up in his bed. He knew it wouldn’t be right to fall asleep when Daichi’s mood at dropped so low.

“Why not confess to him?”

“What?”

“Even if he doesn’t feel the same way right now, I couldn’t imagine him refusing you anything.”

“I don’t want him to date me simply because he doesn’t want to hurt me. I want him to date me because he likes me back. Which will probably be never, so, yeah.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You’ve seen Akaashi more than I have lately. How’s he dealing with his rejection?” Daichi asked him seriously, but Matsukawa knew from the look on his face he already knew the answer.

“He’s devastated. This isn’t something he’s likely to get over any time soon.”

“It might be painful, but at least Kuroo’s still by my side. For now, that’s all I can hope for. Being rejected would be unbearable but being separated from him would kill me.”

“He’s really that worth it, Sawamura?”

Daichi regarded him a moment before his face softened with a smile.

“Yeah… no doubt.”

He left it at that as he undressed and prepared for bed. Matsukawa leaned back on his pillow and stared at the ceiling, lost to his own thoughts. He didn’t want to admit it, but he fully understood Daichi’s feelings. He remembered when he was in their second year of high school, seeing Oikawa again after their long break. They were just friends back then, all four of them in their year growing closer with every passing day. But when he saw Oikawa and Iwaizumi walking down the hall laughing about something, he remembered his heart hammering against his chest. He had barely even noticed Iwaizumi next to him as he felt the urge to wrap Oikawa up in a bone-crushing hug.

It was torture hiding his feelings from Oikawa, but somehow, he managed to do it. The one person he couldn’t hide them from was Hanamaki, but luckily his best friend promised to keep it a secret even though he wanted to see them together. Matsukawa remembers the feeling well, terrified of Oikawa finding out, the inevitable awkwardness eventually breaking up the team and harming their friendship permanently.

Besides, Oikawa was on another level. He claimed he was no genius, but he was wickedly intelligent, which in Matsukawa’s opinion was more important. He was also easily the most handsome man he’d ever met and combined with his natural charisma he could probably have anyone he wanted. Not to mention the guy had his own fan club already.

That was when Hanamaki began acting strangely. Well, stranger than normal. They were in the midst of training camp, their clothes damp with sweat already when Hanamaki _accidentally_ spilled an entire water bottle down his shirt. He couldn’t play in a soaked shirt and he didn’t have time to change since they were just about to run back on the court. The coach sighed and told him to play shirtless, which he had no problem with since it was swelteringly hot. It wasn’t until months later he found out Hanamaki did it on purpose and cackled with glee as he watched Oikawa feast his eyes on his naked back. He always wondered why suddenly Oikawa was receiving so many balls to the face when he was supposed to be setting.

So, in his weird, conniving ways it was Hanamaki who brought them together, all while keeping his promise not to verbally tell Oikawa that Matsukawa liked him more than a friend. It was also Hanamaki that berated him more than anyone for ending it, as well. Oikawa was one of his best friends too, but his concern was for Matsukawa, thinking he would surely turn into a hermit without Oikawa by his side.

_What is he, a fortune teller?_ Matsukawa wondered in the darkness of their dorm room. He could hear Daichi’s deep breathing from his own bed and felt a little jealous he was already asleep. Why wasn’t he dwelling on his stupid thoughts like he was? His disastrous break-up was a year ago, and Daichi was middle of his tortuous love. If anything, it should be Matsukawa dreaming away while Daichi sighs forlornly.

With a huff, Matsukawa shuffled to his side, facing the wall and yanking his blanket over his head. Perhaps with the added layer of darkness, his mind could shut out his dusty memories that had a way of opening fresh wounds. _Ha, fat chance._

 

Matsukawa stared at the text from Daichi for a good half hour before deciding what to do. They had won their volleyball game against their fierce rivals and decided to go clubbing to celebrate. It seemed like fate that he finished his paper just before receiving his text, and the weekend was just beginning which allowed him plenty of time to study for his exam on Monday. It felt like ages since he had let loose and relaxed with friends, so he knew he would inevitably decide to go. He considered attempting to drag one of his classmates out of their caves as well. No faces immediately jumped out at him though except for poor Akaashi, but he knew Bokuto would be there and that was the last person he should be spending time with.

He spent little time changing his clothes and worrying about his appearance. There was no one there that he cared about impressing; his only aim was to relax a little and maybe have a drink. As he wandered down the street to the club, he glanced at Daichi’s last text and knew they were probably already inside, though probably not for long.

He winced when he finally walked in, slammed with a deafening beat and the swirl of purple and blue lights. After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he spied Daichi not too far away talking to several people. He took one step toward him and froze as he locked eyes with a handsome brunette.

His skin turned to ice as he saw Oikawa’s face pinch with recognition, and in that infinitesimal moment he was thrust back in time and he was ending their relationship all over again. The spell broke as Oikawa’s face changed back to his confident self and continued his conversation as if he didn’t exist. Matsukawa filled his lungs with air, still unable to move from his spot just inside the door. He had no idea breathing could be so painful.

 As if seeing Oikawa again was bad enough, he decided to grab Kuroo Tetsurou’s hand and pull him onto the dance floor with a flirtatious smile playing on his lips.

_Damn it, Tooru. Why him of all people?_ He internally growled, and he trudged forward to rescue Daichi from his own sense of abandonment.

“I’m sorry,” He said and Daichi flinched at the sound of his voice.

“Hey, I didn’t think you were going to come. I thought you had a paper to finish.”

“I finished it sooner than I thought.”

His scanned the crowd flowing across the dance floor, not looking at anything in particular. How could he resist pausing on Oikawa’s lithe form as he rolled his body to the beat? At least he wasn’t grinding up against Kuroo like he used to with himself; he wasn’t sure what embarrassing thing he’d do as a result.

“Why are you sorry?” Daichi asked, yanking him from his thoughts.

“He saw me come in and grabbed Kuroo, he wouldn’t have done that otherwise. One thing’s for sure, Sawamura… we have terrible taste in men.”

“No doubts about that,” Daichi laughed.

They watched the obnoxious pair tease them from across the club for several minutes, each taking turns to shoot them a taunting smirk. It didn’t take much coaxing to pull Daichi away from the scene to have a relaxing drink instead. He fully intended to enjoy at least a little bit of his evening since he finally got out of his dorm room.

“Are you doing alright? This is your first time seeing him in person, isn’t it?” Daichi asked, his eyes flickering to him as he took a sip of his drink.

“Yeah, it’s my first time. I’m not sure if I’m fine yet, but this will certainly help,” He chuckled as he nodded to the glass in his hand.

“I should have texted you as soon as I saw him, but it was only a couple minutes before you showed up.”

“It’s fine, it had to happen eventually.”

He just wished it could have been under different circumstances. Why couldn’t he be grocery shopping and run into Oikawa when he was dressed in his sweats? Not here when he looks mouth-watering under the lights with his eyeliner popping his brown eyes at him like some sort of neon sign. He clenched his fist to remove the phantom feeling of Oikawa’s narrow waist fitting into his palm and smelled the golden liquid in his glass to mask the imaginary scent of Oikawa’s musky cologne.

He glanced over his shoulder at him and regretted it as he saw Oikawa lean up and whisper something in Kuroo’s ear. _That damn Bedhead._ Even as he faced forward to stare at the long lines of bottles reflecting the cool lights, he couldn’t wipe the vision of those two together from his mind. He couldn’t deny that he knew what Oikawa did in his spare time; he already had an earful about it from Iwaizumi. Their mutual friend had been worried about Oikawa ever since their break-up and begged Matsukawa to reconsider. Anything to save Oikawa from bouncing to clubs and hooking up with strangers.

It was one thing to pretend that wasn’t the reality and Iwaizumi was just mistaken, it was another to see Oikawa luring an idiot in with his insatiable charms. Of all the idiots, too, he had to pick Kuroo. During his own torrent of disgruntled thoughts, Daichi remained silent next to him and he could see the worry etched across his face as he tried not to glance at the pair on the dance floor.

“Relax. If they do end up hooking up, it’s not going to amount to anything.”

“What part of that should make me relax?” Daichi responded coldly. “I know I have no right to wish he’d only look at me, or _at least_ look at me. Not when I don’t even have the courage to confess. That doesn’t make it any less painful to imagine him in bed with someone else.”

Matsukawa glanced sideways at Daichi, feeling guilty he had put the image in his friend’s head. What he said was selfish, trying to console himself and instead, he brought Daichi pain.

Daichi threw back the rest of his drink and gulped it down, wincing as he set the glass on the table. His eyebrows dug down over his eyes, so much tension showing in his forehead that Matsukawa wondered if it was painful.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. They probably won’t, you know. The reason they’re dancing is to irritate us, so why would they bother with each other?”

“Yeah… maybe you’re right,” Daichi said, but the sadness in his eyes reflected none of the sentiment. Matsukawa sighed and ran a hand through his hair, already exhausted even though he just arrived.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“You just got here.”

“Yeah, but I came to have fun and that’s not going to happen with him here. I’m sure it’s hard for him to do his usual business with me here as well. Or maybe not, who knows?” He said with a shrug and began moving toward the door without waiting for a reply. He was relieved to feel Daichi’s presence behind him; the last thing he needed was to go back to the dorm alone. He’d probably end up crying or calling Hanamaki.

When they finally made it back to their room, it was comforting to have Daichi with him as he sat back down at his desk to crack open a book he didn’t need to. Guilt continued to gnaw at him, however, when he glanced over his shoulder to see the worry etched on Daichi’s face. He knew his friend was still worried Kuroo would hook-up with Oikawa, and now that he wasn’t present in the club he would have no idea if they left together or not.   
After a while, Matsukawa debated sending a text to Bokuto to give him some updates for Daichi’s sake, when there was a knock at the door. Sharing a confused look with Daichi, he slipped out of his chair and opened the door to be greeted by the insufferable grin of Kuroo Tetsurou himself. His instinct was to slam it in his face, but he glanced over his shoulder to find Daichi leaning forward on his bed, his big, brown eyes wide with hope.

“Come in, not like we were busy or anything,” He muttered as he opened the door wider to let him in. When he turned his back to Kuroo, he smiled at the way Daichi tried to cover up his joy at seeing Kuroo walk in the door.

“It sounded like you were just chatting to me,” Kuroo responded as he kicked off his shoes, crossed the room in two steps and collapsed onto Daichi’s legs that were spread out over his bed. Daichi had moved his laptop just in time and set it aside. His cheeks flushed bright red as he gazed adoringly down at Kuroo’s head, immediately slipping his fingers into his wild, black hair. Kuroo smiled serenely and closed his eyes, and Matsukawa scoffed since he could practically hear him purr.

He turned his back on the pair to give them a little privacy as they talked and continued jotting down notes absentmindedly. He had to admit he was just as relieved to see Kuroo as Daichi was, and not just for his own sake. He’d seen enough friends suffering over heartbreak and would do anything to keep that fate from Daichi. To be honest, he knew in his gut that Kuroo was absolutely crazy about Daichi. He couldn’t reveal it, however, in the off-chance that Kuroo was too much of an idiot to realize it and ended up dating someone else. He’d probably end up killing him if he ever did it.

“Oh! Oikawa propositioned me,” Kuroo said a matter-of-factly, his words sinking into Matsukawa’s back like a knife.

““He— what?” Daichi asked in response and Matsukawa couldn’t move a muscle as he eavesdropped into their conversation.

“He wanted to hook up with me, but I passed obviously. That’s not my thing.”

They would have gotten together if Kuroo had been interested. It was the truth; Kuroo had no reason to make something like that up and he obviously had no idea of the past between him and Oikawa.

Suddenly, Matsukawa could hardly breathe. He shot up from his desk, his notebook and pen clattering to the floor as he grabbed his jacket and shoved his feet into his shoes.

“I’m going to the vending machine… across campus,” He said before rushing through the door, slamming it shut behind him. It wasn’t like him to freak out like that, but it wasn’t often that reality slapped him across the face in that way. He didn’t walk far, stopping only as far as the staircase to release a frustrated cry that echoed over the cinder blocks, stretching far beyond their floor.

_Fuck, Tooru… how could you?_ He thought as he pounded his fist against the wall and cringed as pain crippled his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears leaked from the corners and slipped down his cheeks. He wasn’t sure if it was from punching the wall or the proof that Oikawa was sleeping with whoever he wanted.

The worst part was that Oikawa wasn’t in the wrong. He had every right to sleep with whoever he wanted. Matsukawa gave up the right to give a shit about it when he broke up with him last year. Even after the break-up, Oikawa tried to keep in contact with him, but Matsukawa shoved him further away to make it less painful for himself. Now he was facing the consequences, and he had no one to blame but himself.

He wasn’t sure if he’d be happier if Oikawa was in a stable relationship with one person, perhaps on his way to falling in love. No, there was no happiness in either situation. He just knew that if Oikawa had been in a relationship, he’d be less worried about his safety and health. But he had no right to worry about that either, especially when Oikawa was as smart as he was. He could take care of himself. He didn’t need Matsukawa.

After several minutes of crying silently in the loneliness of the stairwell, he heard a door open and shut down the hallway on the other side of the door. He waited for several seconds before opening the door slowly, peeking through to see Kuroo disappearing into his own room. He sighed with relief and trudged back to his room, anxious for a little peace.

Daichi winced when he saw his tear-stained face but said nothing when Matsukawa shook his head. He peeled off his clothes and fell onto his bed, burying his face into his pillow. He took several deep breaths as he heard Daichi shuffle around the room, getting ready for bed on his own. That was what he liked most about having him for a roommate; he listened when Matsukawa needed to say something but never pushed when he wanted silence. With Hanamaki and Iwaizumi hours away and moving on with their lives, it was one of the only safety lines he had amongst his lonely chaos.

 

Four people sat around a desk in an empty classroom, staring at their open books in silence. Matsukawa’s jaw went slack as his eyelids drooped closed, his head jerking back the next minute with a gasp. The quick movement disturbed his Mari from her own dozing and she accidentally threw her pencil in the air. It landed point down into the crack of her textbook, standing straight up, and all four of them gaped at it as if it was some ominous omen.

The door opened across the room, and they all flinched in fear as Akaashi looked at them all suspiciously while he hovered in the doorway.

“Why do you all look like you’ve seen a ghost? Am I not supposed to be here?”

“No, don’t worry about it. Come on in, Akaashi-kun,” Ando said as he relaxed and yawned like a bear.

Akaashi didn’t look convinced, but he joined them nonetheless. Out of the five of them, Akaashi and Misaki were the only first years and yet it never seemed like they were younger with their level of work ethic and maturity. It didn’t make them any less exhausted, however, and Matsukawa winced as he observed the dark circles under Misaki’s eyes.

With the addition of Akaashi to their group, Matsukawa noticed a shift in the air. It was a slight tension, not uncomfortable but filled with intrigue and the way his other classmates stared at the end of the table he knew he wasn’t the only one who felt it.

“Akaashi?” Misaki asked as she eyed the smile resting on his lips, “Spill it, what happened?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re alive and happy, tell us your secret _now_.”

Akaashi paused from laying out his textbooks and arched an eyebrow at her.

“Are you all not alive?” He asked as he smirked back at her. Matsukawa narrowed his eyes at his friend. Misaki wasn’t wrong, his cheeks were brighter, his face more relaxed as some of his stress seemed to have faded.

“You talked to Bokuto again, didn’t you?” Matsukawa sighed, and the way Akaashi jerked his head toward him in alarm confirmed his suspicions. Everyone else groaned and booed, Misaki even punching Akaashi’s arm in disgust.

“Akaashi, how could you?! You know you’re not over him yet, he practically _destroyed_ you last time!”

“I know, I couldn’t help it.”

At the other end of the table, Chiba wadded up some paper and threw it at Akaashi’s face.

“You’re weak, Man! Come on, what’s so special about this guy that you’d throw away all your hard work?”

“You couldn’t possibly understand,” Akaashi muttered, hunching his shoulders and eyeing the door like he wanted to escape. “Even if he doesn’t love me back the same way, I know he loves me in other ways. It’s not what I hoped for, but I would gladly accept anything Bokuto-san will give me. I really missed him.”

“What’s so special about him?” Misaki asked, her voice softer as she gazed at him with sympathy. Akaashi’s shoulders relaxed as he smiled, his eyes drifting to the table as he considered the question.

“It’s hard to pick one thing that’s special about him, he’s just different in every way. I know what you all think of him, but he genuinely doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He didn’t intend to hurt me, and I know doing so broke his heart as much as it did mine. He has the enthusiasm of a child, but in a strange way, it’s infectious. My spirit is instantly lifted by his mere presence, and he has a way of inspiring people to reach beyond what they thought was possible. There are a million other things that set him apart, but I’m sure I sound ridiculous as it is. I think I’ve simply come to terms with the fact that there is no cure from Bokuto-san, and I will probably love him until the day I die.”

There were a few moments of heavy silence before several sniffs filled the air.

“Oh my God, that’s so romantic,” Misaki sobbed as she buried her face in her arms. Chiba patted her on the back as he wiped a stray tear from his cheek.

“No matter what, we’ll support you, Akaashi.”

“Do you,” Chiba began but paused as he choked up, “Do you want anything? You want me to get you a coffee, a piece of cake? What do you want, Akaashi? Let your senpai treat you.”

Akaashi didn’t answer as he scrunched up his nose in disgust. He looked to Matsukawa for help since he was the only one not weeping at his expense.

“Don’t mind them, they’re just exhausted. We all get a little overly emotional with no sleep.”

“Do you think I’m being foolish, Matsukawa-san?”

Matsukawa smiled and reached over to ruffle Akaashi’s hair, making him scowl even deeper.

“Nah, I’d be quite the hypocrite judging you for such a thing. I’m just worried about you. I don’t want to see you get hurt even more.”

“A hypocrite? You’re dealing with heartbreak as well?”

Matsukawa glanced at their other classmates, but they were still sobbing and talking amongst themselves as they comforted one another. He rolled his eyes and leaned closer to Akaashi.

“In a way, though it’s completely my own fault. I’m in love with someone and I let them go so I could concentrate on school. They’ve since moved on and I’m… alone. Textbooks can’t keep you warm at night, Akaashi.”

“Unless perhaps you set them on fire.”

The snort Matsukawa gave was loud enough to draw the other’s attention. He didn’t want them all to know his pain as well, so he quickly brought them all back to their work. He trusted Akaashi no to say anything since he wasn’t the gossiping type. He realized with a shock that it was the first time he admitted out loud that he wasn’t over Oikawa, not by a long shot. He was certain that Daichi was aware, but they never discussed it.

Seeing Akaashi openly love Bokuto from afar had an impact on him. He always thought the idea of holding on to someone was foolish and unproductive. Love was hardly ever so cut-and-dry, though. So, he still loved Oikawa and wanted him back. What could he possibly do about it? He felt like Oikawa would laugh in his face if he confessed again, begging for forgiveness.

_Why should I come back to you? Especially when I can have any lover I want, Mattsun?_ He could nearly hear him say, the imagined words slipping a cold knife into his heart.

 

Matsukawa’s eyes felt like sandpaper as he fluttered his eyelids, wondering how long he had been staring at the screen without blinking. He sighed and slipped off his glasses, rubbing his fingers over his tearing eyes to work the life back into them. Leaning back in his chair, he groaned at the soreness gripping his neck, shoulders, and back.

He wanted to take a break from work, but there was literally nothing else to do. The silence in his tiny dorm room was almost unbearable since Daichi was at the club with his other friends and glancing at the clock he knew he would probably be there for a while. He could start up a random movie on his laptop, but that would mean staring at the screen again and the thought wasn’t very appealing.

He sighed again, a familiar blanket of loneliness settling over him and weighing him down. His teeth tugged on his bottom lip as he contemplated giving Hanamaki a call, but it was Friday night and usually he was out at his favorite bar for trivia night with his girlfriend. He smiled, thinking about his friend and how happy he was with his other half. Maybe he’d call him tomorrow instead, just to catch up. Maybe that would make him feel better, but deep down he knew it wouldn’t.

He kneaded the back of his neck and moved his hand lower to work out the kinks. It did little to alleviate the stiff muscles and wished he could feel a different set of nimble fingers working their magic on him. It wasn’t the first time he ached for that touch, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last.

He shoved himself away from his desk and snapped to his feet, suddenly desperate to leave his room and the dark thoughts swirling around him like an inescapable whirlpool in the middle of an ocean with no land in sight. He had no clue where he’d go but he could hardly breathe, he needed some fresh air.

His fingers had barely gripped his jacket when he heard a soft knock on the door. He stared at it in confusion, his mind scrambling to figure out who would be on the other side. Perhaps it was Akaashi or one of his other classmates, and slowly he released his jacket and licked his lips.

“Who is it?”

There were a few heartbeats of silence, and he wondered if perhaps they didn’t hear him. He opened his mouth to call again when he heard _his_ voice.

“It’s me, Mattsun.”

_No, no, not him_ , He thought, at the same time his heart leaped with a desperate need to rip the door open and grab hold of the man on the other side. He took a deep breath to force a nonchalant expression on his face and slid his fingers over the cool, brass knob. With a creak, the door opened just enough for him to slide in the opening and lean against it.

“Tooru,” He said without thinking, and bit his tongue that he hadn’t used _Oikawa_ instead. It was too late to take it back, so he refused to change his expression as he soaked in the sight of the man standing in the hall.

_Damn it, does he ever look bad?_ He wondered as he couldn’t resist looking over the perfect brunette waves flowing around Oikawa’s handsome face. He looked like some sort of celebrity in his trendy clothes and his mouth-watering good looks, but what really caught Matsukawa’s eye was his expression. He knew that look, a rare one that only surfaced when he had hit rock bottom. It emerged whenever they were defeated by Shiratorizawa, by Karasuno, when Oikawa injured his knee, that one fight he had with Iwaizumi when he thought their friendship was finally over, when Matsukawa ended their relationship last year. It was a bitter, broken look, and Matsukawa hated it, knowing it didn’t belong on the face of someone he loved so much.

“What happened?” He asked, the tenderness edging his voice without his permission. The question, or perhaps his tone, caused Oikawa to purse his lips as he tore his gaze away from him.

_No, no, don’t do that. Don’t look away from me._

“I’m sorry, I just-- I needed to talk to you. Can I come in?”

“Yeah, Sawamura’s probably going to be out for a while,” He said as he opened the door wider to allow Oikawa to enter. The apprehension Oikawa seemed to feel was interrupted as an amused smile crept on his face. He laughed softly as he slipped into the room, gazing around at the small space.

“Yeah, I was with them at the club. Looks like he’s finally making some progress with Kuroo.”

Matsukawa shut the door behind him, his jaw dropping open in shock.

“No shit. Is that Rooster-headed idiot actually realizing how he feels?”

“I think so. They were dancing _really_ close, and I think if Bokuto hadn’t interrupted, they would have kissed.”

“Oh man, I can’t wait to hear about it from Sawamura. He gets hilariously blushy and giggly when he talks about Kuroo.”

Oikawa cackled at the thought, and Matsukawa’s chest gripped painfully at the sight. He missed him so much he wondered if could think up a way to tie him up and keep him there. Oikawa’s laughs dwindled as their eyes met, and slowly the signs of his apprehension began to creep back. First, the arms crossed in front of his chest, closing himself off from Matsukawa. Then his gaze pulled away and settled on an old picture of their team from Seijoh, taken their third year.

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately. Mainly about how things are now, and how things will be in the future… and if things continue the way they are, I know that my future’s going to look unbearably lonely,” He stammered, his voice breaking toward the end. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, and Matsukawa knew he was trying not to cry. His will felt weak, one heartbeat away from taking the one step that would bring him to Oikawa and wrap his arms around him, never again letting go. But he needed to be strong; embracing Oikawa without his permission could set them back further than they already were.

“Issei,” Oikawa whispered, opening his beautiful brown eyes toward him as a jeweled tear slid down his cheek. “I want to come back. _Please_ let me come back.”

“Yes,” Matsukawa said immediately, so quickly that Oikawa blinked in surprise.

“Did you just say yes?”

“Yes, damn it. Come back to me, Oikawa,” He said in a raspy voice, opening his arms as an invitation. Oikawa’s eyes widened even further and with a gasp, he ran forward, leaping into Matsukawa’s arms and shoving their lips together desperately. He was barely shorter than Matsukawa, but it didn’t stop him from practically crawling up his body to lock his legs around him. Matsukawa struggled to hold him, but when he felt him slip he spun them around and sat on his bed, so Oikawa was straddling his lap instead.

The touch of those magical setter fingers scraped across his scalp and embedded into his hair, and he choked back a sob as he tilted his head for a deeper kiss. Oikawa’s lips tasted salty from his tears, an interesting flavor to mix with the sweetness from the cocktail he most likely drank at the club. Oikawa pulled his lips away just for a moment before trailing them over Matsukawa’s face, tasting his tears for himself.

Matsukawa could barely believe it was finally happening. To make sure Oikawa was really in his arms and he wasn’t a mirage, he desperately raked his hands over his back to feel every inch of him. He drank in the heat seeping into his palms and relished every sexy noise Oikawa released as he kissed him ravenously. The only problem was he wanted _more_.

As if Oikawa read his mind, he leaned back and ripped off his own shirt. It was barely over his head before Matsukawa dove in, grazing Oikawa’s chest with his teeth.

“I-Issei,” Oikawa whined, burying his face into Matsukawa’s hair and puffing his warm breath into it.

“Ssshit, hang on a minute,” Matsukawa growled as he pulled back. He couldn’t help but smirk at the comical pout on Oikawa’s lips as he leaned toward his desk to snatch up his phone.

“What are you doing at a time like this?!”

“Texting Sawamura so we can _continue_ doing what we were doing without being interrupted. How long should I tell him we need?”

“Hmm,” Oikawa sighed, grazing his long fingers across his shoulders, knowing it was driving him crazy. “At least half an hour, I won’t last long most likely.”

“You wouldn’t often admit something like that.”

“I’m just being honest, it’s been so long.”

Matsukawa was in the middle of typing out 45 minutes when he paused. He was ecstatic to have Oikawa back in his arms, and he didn’t want to think about anyone else he might have been with. But from what Oikawa had just said it caused him to wonder.

“Has it, Tooru?”

Oikawa’s face fell at the direct question, and as soon as Matsukawa sent his text he wrapped an arm around Oikawa’s waist to pull him in close and another to cup his cheek tenderly.

“It’s okay, nothing will keep me from loving you, Tooru. Nothing you did while we were separated would be considered cheating, and it’s all my fault anyway.”

Oikawa bit his lip as he sank deeper into Matsukawa’s arms, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and burying his head into Matsukawa’s neck.

“It’s not that. I know Iwa-chan told you what I was doing, going to clubs and bars and hooking up with people.”

“Yeah, and I heard straight form Kuroo of all people that you tried to get with him,” Matsukawa said dryly, cringing at the jealousy leaking through after what he had just said. He felt Oikawa’s lips smile against his skin.

“I did _that_ on purpose. I knew he’d say something in front of you, I was hoping to make you jealous.”

“Jealous? What would you have done if he had said yes?”

Oikawa snorted and leaned back, shaking his head so his brunette waves flowed beautifully around his face.

“There was no way! Not with the way he kept peeking over at Sawamura-kun at the bar. I had them pegged the moment we met.”

“Damn it, you really piss me off.”

“I know. You may not believe this, but I have to tell you the truth, Issei. I haven’t been with anyone else since you.”

“What? You _weren’t_ hooking up with people? But Iwaizumi said--”

“I know! Well, I did go with the intention of doing that, and I’d leave with some poor jerk. We’d start making out and I’d feel revolted. I wouldn’t be able to go past that, I even nearly threw up in one guy’s mouth once. I never told Iwa-chan about it because I wanted you to think I had moved on. But it’s no good if it’s not with you. Are you mad at me?” He asked, giving Matsukawa his best innocent puppy-dog look. Matsukawa chuckled and kissed his nose, feeling waves of relief flowing off him.

“You’re an idiot, but I love you. I love you to death, Tooru. Even if you had been with someone else, it would piss me off, but it wouldn’t matter. I’m never letting you go again and I’m going to fuck you into this mattress to prove it.”

“Oh God, _please_ ,” Oikawa whined, and without any more hesitation Matsukawa flipped him down on the bed. Logically his heart shouldn’t have been hammering so hard against his chest. It wasn’t his first time, particularly with Oikawa. But as desperate as they were to have each other once again, Matsukawa wanted to treat him gently. He wanted to treasure every graze of their skin and convergence of their lips.

Oikawa’s impatience, however, won out in the end. Sure enough, half an hour later, Matsukawa was laying on his back, stretched out over his bed with Oikawa snuggled in his arms as they tried to catch their breath. Oikawa’s head was propped on his chest, smiling serenely and covered with nothing but a thin blanket. Matsukawa trailed his fingers through his soft, brown hair, enjoying how disheveled it got from their quick romp on the bed.

“Tooru? What brought you back to me?” He asked softly, and Oikawa tipped his head as he thought about the question.

“What do you mean? I’m still in love with you.”

“I know, but something must have urged you to come here tonight, of all nights. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about it for a long while, but I had no idea how to ask you. I wanted to beg your forgiveness, but I could only picture you laughing at me in return.”

“I wouldn’t have laughed at you, not at first anyway,” he giggled and squealed when Matsukawa grabbed his sensitive side. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while as well. I kept seeing these cute idiot pairs being in love with each other without doing something about it, and I was a little salty about it because you and I _knew_ we loved each other and did something about it. I realized I would still have it if I had fought harder against breaking up. It ended up being tonight because of the way Kuroo kept looking at Sawamura. Like he was more delicious than any dessert he’d ever seen, more beautiful than the most captivating sunset, sexier than any porno he jacked off to.”

“You know, I was going to say that was poetic, but…”

“The point is, I knew that look on his face. You used to look at me that way, and I wanted you to do it again. I was prepared to do some pretty desperate nastiness in here if you refused at first, but since you immediately agreed— “

“Wait, what were you planning on doing?”

“It doesn’t matter now!” Oikawa giggled, waving him off the scent.

“Well, I’m relieved you did. I just hope those two idiots are finally going to get together.”

“I know! How long have they been like that? I’ve only been hanging out with them for a couple months, and I’m suffocating from the sexual tension.”

“Ugh, well Sawamura had a crush on him during their third year, but according to him, it wasn’t that bad. He said he was satisfied with just respecting him as another captain from afar. Then all last year it gradually worsened and Sawamura could no longer deny how infatuated he was. Kuroo, on the other hand, has always been consumed with everything going around him, and nothing about himself. He’s been obsessed with matching people up this year, which is why everything is in shambles with poor Bokuto. And all the while it’s obvious he adores Sawamura back. He even gets jealous of my relationship with him, regardless that we’re obviously just friends.”

“Hmm, well I have to admit I’ve been jealous of Sawamura myself. He gets to see you all the time and you rely on him. I want you to rely on me,” Oikawa pouted, though his eyes still glittered with mischief as a smile curled on his lips. Matsukawa chuckled, feeling inexplicably happy that he could finally stare at Oikawa and run his fingers through his hair. It was still hard to believe, and he wanted to freeze the moment forever. There were other things, however, they needed to discuss.

“It still won’t be easy, you know,” Matsukawa said reluctantly, wishing he didn’t have to pull the mood down. “It still doesn’t change the fact that I’m working my ass off and can hardly leave campus, or even my dorm room some weeks. That day you saw me at the club was the first time I had left in two months.”

Oikawa sighed, but a smile remained on his lips; the topic didn’t seem to worry him one bit.

“I think Sawamura-kun will just have to get used to me being here in my spare time. I can bring my own school work with me. Even if we can’t have sex, go out to a restaurant or a movie, just being with you is what I want.”

“Really? You won’t miss going out to clubs?”

“Who gives a shit? Dancing is fun, but it was just a distraction. I wouldn’t truly have fun unless you were there,” He said with a shrug, grazing his fingers across Matsukawa’s chest and pausing to circle around his nipple. He snickered as Matsukawa shivered and shot him a glare. “Hey, Issei? You don’t have answer me now, but I wanted to plant the idea in your head. I know you enjoy living with Sawamura-kun because he’s easy--”

“You don’t have to say it like that. And it’s only with Kuroo that he’s easy.”

Oikawa giggled and rolled his eyes.

“You know what I mean! But I was wondering if next year you’d be interested in getting an apartment with me? We can get one closer to here than my campus, I don’t mind traveling further. That way we’ll see each other every night at least, we can save some money by cooking our meals, I _guarantee_ we’ll have more sex…”

“You mean it? You really want to get a place together?”

“Of course! It’s the most logical thing to do! You probably would have come to the same conclusion if you hadn’t ended it so abruptly last year and thought about it for two seconds.”

Matsukawa barely had to think about it. For the first time the entire year, he had a shining beacon of hope lit on the path in front of him. Picturing all the years of schooling he had left was never the happiest thought. It felt more like descending a dark, twisting staircase into a dungeon rather than on the path to a fulfilling career and opportunity.

Instead, he pictured himself coming through the door of his apartment to find Oikawa waiting for him. Perhaps he’d be greeted with a warm smile that makes Oikawa look like an angel or some sort of pop idol. More likely the grin would be rotten, and his eyes would be sparkling with evil intentions. Both visions nearly made him tear up with desire, it was all he wanted, and he already couldn’t wait to thread their lives back together.

Oikawa’s round, brown eyes blinked above him as he bit his lip with worry. Matsukawa smiled, reaching up to cup the side of Oikawa’s face and without even saying anything Oikawa began to relax. Matsukawa craned his head up to brush their lips together, savoring the warmth sparked from the delicate touch.

“Tooru, I can’t wait to move in with you. Let me tell Sawamura, okay? It’ll be hard for him to get used to a new roommate.”

Oikawa beamed back at him, fresh tears threatening to spill from the corners of his eyes as he nodded.

“Okay. I mean, there’s still quite a bit of this year left. Hopefully, he’ll be married to Kuroo by that time and they can move in with each other.”

Matsukawa chuckled and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“What about Bokuto?”

“Psht, that hunk will find someone I’m sure. Who knows? With Kuroo distracted maybe he’ll finally consider Akaashi. Though I’ve never met him myself, I hear Bokuto talking all the time about how much he misses him, and I felt like something could be there.”

“Akaashi’s my kouhai, actually, and he’s definitely still in love with Bokuto. Life rarely works out so perfectly, though,” Matsukawa sighed as he leaned his head back against the pillow, letting his gaze drift to the ceiling. Pain shot through his chest suddenly when a set of teeth bit into the tender flesh of his pectoral muscle. “Ow! What the hell?”’

“ _Life rarely works out_ , what does that mean?” Oikawa sneered as he sat up and straddled him, the blanket pooling low around his waist. “Is this not the vision of perfection?” He asked, motioning to the long stretch of his muscled torso with a smug grin. Matsukawa laughed and sat up to wrap his arms around his waist, burying his face into his neck.

“Forgive me, this is definitely perfection.”

“Hmph, it’s about time you admit it,” Oikawa grumbled, though there was no heat in his words as he nuzzled into Matsukawa’s hair and stroked his fingers through it. Matsukawa’s eyes fluttered shut, humming from the gentle touch. He breathed in Oikawa’s scent and soaked up the heat from his skin.

He felt guilty calling Kuroo an idiot so often when he knew he was the bigger idiot himself. Why did he suffer for a year without Oikawa Tooru in his arms? One thing was for sure, he’d never make that mistake again. Reuniting with Oikawa didn’t solve all his problems, but most of them no longer mattered as much now that he wasn’t facing them alone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay this concludes The Dangers of Meddling!! If any of you are familiar with Emma, below is a list of the equivalent characters for reference:  
> Kuroo-- Emma  
> Daichi-- Mr. Knighltey  
> Kenma-- Emma's Father (ha ha, he actually fulfilled the role nicely) and also a tiny bit of Mrs. Weston  
> Bokuto-- Harriet Smith  
> Akaashi-- Robert Martin (the farmer)  
> Terushima-- Mr. Elton  
> Matsukawa-- Jane Fairfax  
> Oikawa-- Frank Churchill  
> Daishou-- Mr. Elton's wife... lol  
> Yaku-- Mrs. Weston  
> Nishinoya-- Mr. Weston  
> Ahh I hope I got those names right, it's been a while. I did most of this from my dusty memory since it's been several years since I've read Emma. I hope I got it pretty close, though I shaved off a lot of the plot b/c I didn't feel like it was necessary for this adaptation. Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed it. Also, this is crazy but this is my first time writing Bokuto x Akaashi as a ship, ha ha ha. Not one of my other eighty-something fics have this pairing in it, which is hilarious with how popular it is XD This story really made me emotional, but I really liked writing it. Well, onward to new things!

**Author's Note:**

> Emma happens to be my favorite Jane Austen novel, and I'm so excited to blend it in with Kurodai!! I know I have a crazy amount of multichapter WIP's already, but I don't currently have a kurodai (not counting bokurodai) and I was starting to get antsy about that fact, ha ha ha. Hmm, I'm picturing this as 6 or 7 chapters, but we'll see. Also, this one will have a lot of side ships that get a bit complicated and criss-crossy, more than my usual stories do, but hopefully it'll be satisfying considering I'm following the formula of the original story with some twists of my own. Let me know what you think! :)


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